The New Zealand Government announced a ban on disposable vapes as part of a set of new measures aimed at reducing youth vaping and creating a generation of non-smokers.
The new measures, which were announced in June, require vape shops to be at least 328 yards (300 meters) from a school. Packaging for vaping products must also adhere to new requirements that no longer allow for enticing flavors to be printed on the packaging.
So while vapers in New Zealand will still be able to buy vape flavors like bubblegum and cotton candy at a local vape store, the branding on the packages must be updated to reflect the new rules.
Disposable vapes, which many vapers use, myself included, are no longer legal to sell in the country as of August. Reusable vapes, defined as devices with removable or replaceable batteries, can still be sold under the government’s new rules.
Despite the blatant differences between tobacco smoke and e-cigarette vapor, such as vapor’s complete lack of tar, New Zealand Health Minister Ayesha Verrall said that the government is “creating a future where tobacco products are no longer addictive, appealing or as readily available, and the same needs to apply to vaping.”
The punishment for violating the new rules includes a hefty fine.
New Zealand’s new vaping restrictions arrive in the wake of even more restrictive rules announced earlier this year in Australia. Under Australia’s latest proposal, disposable vapes, as they are now in New Zealand, will be banned from the country. But Australia’s attempt to curtail vaping’s popularity among youths also includes a push to ensure that all vape sales are through licensed pharmacies.
Under Australia’s new plan, vapers will be required to have a valid prescription from a licensed Australian doctor in order to purchase vaping products from an Australian pharmacy.
The proposal in Australia would effectively ban recreational vaping. With lofty ideals in mind, the Australian Government may be overestimating their ability to crack down on illegal vape sales in the country. Presently, the Australian marketplace is awash with illicit vapes and the black market for vaping products is alive and well. Whether the authorities have a practical means by which to address this issue remains to be seen.
