New laws intended to discourage young people from vaping take come into force today.

The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Vaping) Amendment Act 2020, passed in August 2020 and comes into effect today.

 It introduces a range of prohibitions and restrictions on vaping which will be phased in over a 15-month period through to February 2022.

 Some of the key initial changes from today are:

•                     the sale or supply of vaping products to under 18s is prohibited

•                     indoor vaping is prohibited at workplaces, restaurants and licensed premises

•                     vaping is prohibited at schools and early childhood centres (including outdoors)

•                     most advertising and sponsorship of vaping products is prohibited

•                     retailers cannot encourage the use of vaping products (with some exceptions).

 Health Minister Andrew Little said “these changes will prevent vaping products from being marketed or sold to non-smokers, especially young people, while ensuring that they are available for smokers who want to switch to a less harmful alternative.”

 “Vaping is not without risks, but it is less harmful than cigarette smoking, which is why the legislation allows for the provision of information and advice for those wishing to switch from smoking to vaping.”

ACT Leader David Seymour said “Labour’s decision to regulate vaping in the same way as cigarettes is the most damaging public health policy in a generation.”

“Restrictions on vaping flavours and a ban on advertising will kill off the best tool for quitting smoking and will condemn more people to cigarettes for longer. Labour has cracked down on an alternative that is 95 percent safer than tobacco as if it was tobacco.”

Seymour said “Smoking kills 5,000 Kiwis each year and has massive health and economic costs. Vaping is the best technology ever invented for people to stop smoking. Thousands have had their lives saved by it. But it is also the biggest threat to the government’s tobacco tax revenue. So Labour’s cracking down on it.”