New Zealand Solicits Feedback on New Rules

New Zealand’s government is seeking feedback on measures to help reduce the number of young people vaping, reports The Times Online.

According to Associate Health Minister Ayesha Verrall, vaping is becoming increasingly popular among New Zealand youth, including among youngsters who have never smoked.

“Vaping has a role to play in ensuring smokers who wish to quit smoking can do so using vaping products; however, youth vaping rates are too high, and we need to strike a better balance,” she was quoted as saying.

The proposed measures include proximity restrictions for all new specialist vape retailers, so they are not near schools and sports grounds; restrictions on flavor names to avoid attracting youth; and restrictions on single-use vaping products, which are cheaper and more easily accessible than other e-cigarettes.

In addition, the government wants to reduce the maximum concentration of nicotine salts in single-use products from 50 mg/mL to 35 mg/mL and require vaping companies to print serial or batch numbers on their products to make them traceable.

The consultation document is available on the Ministry of Health website with submissions closing at 5 p.m. on March 15.