March 21, 2024
Enforcement gap as vape rules strengthened
Associate Health Minister Casey Costello is looking at making councils responsible for policing illegal vape sales.
Ms Costello announced yesterday an outright ban on disposable vapes and a crack down on retailers selling to under 18 year olds.
Monitoring currently sits with the Ministry for Health, but there has been little investment in the resources to do it.
“The whole process around regulatory controls and enforcement, we’re getting some further advice on whether that should sit with councils rather than sitting with Health,” Ms Costello says.
From today the fine for retailers found selling vapes or other regulated tobacco products to under-18 year olds has increased from $10,000 to $100,000, and the penalty for infringements has doubled from $500 to $1,000 for individuals and to $2,000 for businesses.