Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocacy (AVCA) released a response following the first reading of the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Bill. Current regulations allow general retailers to only stock three vape flavours - mint, menthol and tobacco. At the same time, licensed Specialist Vape Retailers (SVR) can stock the full range of flavours.
Under the new bill, smoked tobacco products cannot be sold to anyone born in or after 2009, and the number of licensed retailers will be limited. Approval to become an SVR will also become stricter; retail premises seeking the license must be a fixed permanent structure that can operate as a stand-alone business.
"Far too many dairies now also operating as licenced Specialist Vape Retailers. It makes a mockery of our vaping laws, so we're pleased the Government is going to tidy up this unintended consequence," said Nancy Loucas, Co-founder of AVCA.
The bill also proposes that general retailers, such as dairies, must notify the Director-General of Health that they are selling or distributing vape products. The AVCA noted that, at present, a number of dairies and small businesses have separated off part of their premises and registered that space as an SVR.
“There is no reason anyone should have a plywood box in their dairy and be licenced as a Specialist Vape Retailer. It's illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to be in an SVR, so how come this ‘hybrid’ has become rather rampant all over Aotearoa?”
“I’ve entered one of these ‘hybrid’ places and asked simple questions, but they were unable to assist. Questions like ‘what is the difference between 30mg and 50mg’ and ‘what is the best system for me to use if I smoke two packs of Holiday per day?’ They had no idea. They are not equipped to handle helping people switch to safer nicotine products at all.”
“Despite being key to New Zealand’s smoking rate halving within a decade and saving thousands of lives, vaping continues to get plenty of negative media coverage. Tidying up the 2020 vaping legislation will help reduce access to minors and ensure smokers keen to switch receive better advice.”
