New Zealand Vaping Regulations Passed

New Zealand Vaping Regulations Passed: We Are Now a Government-Regulated Industry

After an extremely long wait, New Zealand’s vaping industry became a fully government-regulated industry in August with the passage of the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Vaping Amendment Bill.

Although there was universal agreement that the New Zealand vaping industry needed regulation, support for the controversial bill wasn’t universal. There was some disagreement among vapers, retailers of vaping products and members of Parliament over specifics of the bill, which some people felt didn’t maximize New Zealand’s potential to become a world leader in tobacco harm reduction and accomplish the Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 goal.

Despite the criticisms, though, no one can deny that the bill accomplishes two things.

• Smokers can switch to vaping with the knowledge that New Zealand’s government will not take that option away in the future.
• Business owners in the vaping industry can run their operations with full knowledge of what they’re allowed to do and confidence that the industry is sustainable.

In this article, we’ll discuss the specifics of New Zealand’s new vaping regulations and explain what those regulations mean to you as a vaper or as a business owner. We’ll also discuss a few of the reasons why some people have been critical of the regulations.

What Do New Zealand’s Vaping Regulations Mean to You if You Vape?

If you’re a consumer who vapes or smokes, New Zealand’s vaping regulations will result in the following changes for you.

• The minimum age to buy vaping products in New Zealand is now 18 nationwide.
• Vaping in a car with a child is now illegal.
• You’ll no longer be able to buy vaping products in flavours other than tobacco, menthol and mint from stores that aren’t specialty vape shops. Stores such as petrol stations, dairies and supermarkets are no longer allowed to carry most flavoured vaping products.

What Do New Zealand’s Vaping Regulations Mean to You if You Own a General Retail Business?

If you own a business that doesn’t earn the majority of its income from vaping products, New Zealand’s vaping regulations will result in the following changes for you.

• You will not be able to sell vaping products in flavours other than tobacco, menthol and mint.
• You will not be able to advertise vaping products or encourage customers to buy them.
• You will not be able to recommend specific vaping products or show customers how to use them.
• You will not be able to offer discounts or loyalty programs for vaping products.

What Do New Zealand’s Vaping Regulations Mean to You if You Own a Vape Shop?

New Zealand’s vaping regulations include a number of provisions for specialized vape shops that earn the majority of their money from the sales of vape gear. Here’s how the regulations will affect you if you’re a vape shop owner.

• You will not be able to advertise your products.
• You will be allowed to sell vaping products in all flavours.
• You will be allowed to recommend specific products and show customers how to use them.
• Vaping inside your store will be allowed because that’s part of the process of showing people how to use the devices.
• You will be allowed to offer loyalty programs and discounts.

If you’re a vape shop owner, the good news about New Zealand’s vaping regulations is that the provisions for vape shops will allow you – aside from the restriction on advertising – to continue doing business as you always have. Although the vaping regulations have been fairly controversial, the government has made it clear that it wants the vaping industry to continue.

Why Have New Zealand’s Vaping Regulations Been So Controversial?

New Zealand’s vaping regulations have largely given vape shops the freedom to continue business as usual. In addition, New Zealand’s consumers still have access to flavoured e-liquids, which was one of the major concerns when the process of regulating the vaping industry began. On the surface, it would seem that the general retailers are the only losers here – and they don’t earn the majority of their income from vaping products anyway.

There are, however, a few reasons why some people haven’t been completely satisfied about the regulations.

• Associate Health Minister Jenny Salesa originally announced her intention to regulate vaping in New Zealand in November 2018. It took an extremely long time for Salesa to introduce her proposed regulations, and when she did, she allowed less than the standard amount of time for public comment. The fact that the regulations were rushed through so quickly makes the endeavour look like an election year carrot meant to please majority non-smokers, many of whom have been swayed by an extremely biased media. Critics of the regulations don’t understand why the public was given so little time to comment on a law that took nearly two years to write.
• The advertising ban will make it difficult for vaping brands in New Zealand to reach smokers and convert them to vaping. If New Zealand’s goal is indeed to eliminate almost all tobacco use by 2025, critics of the law believe that the blanket ban on advertising represents a missed opportunity for harm reduction.
• On the surface, restricting the sale of flavoured vaping products to specialized retailers sounds like something that will protect vape shops and ensure that they’ll always occupy a unique market niche. Critics of the law, however, point out that most people who successfully quit smoking and switch to vaping use flavours other than tobacco and menthol. Frequently, people don’t buy their first vaping devices from specialized vape shops; they buy their second and third devices from vape shops. If someone buys an inferior vaping product from a supermarket or dairy – and doesn’t enjoy the experience – that person may not want to investigate the vaping option further and may never visit a vape shop. That problem is further compounded by vape shops’ inability to advertise.

Final Thoughts on New Zealand’s Vaping Regulations

Although New Zealand’s vaping regulations have proven controversial, the fact is that no law is without its critics. The vaping regulations are here to stay, and they do more good than harm because they ensure the future of vaping as a viable option for New Zealand’s smokers. Let’s all continue working together to guide our nation toward a future without tobacco.