New Zealand will “absolutely” ban the use of disposable vapes

Government of New Zealand The maritime nation announced on Wednesday that it would “totally” ban single-use vapes and increase fines tenfold for those selling the products to minors in a bid to tackle the problem of youth smoking.

The measure announced today raises the maximum fine from 10,000 New Zealand dollars ($6,040 or 5,558 euros) to 100,000 New Zealand dollars (60,360 dollars or 55,570 euros). Enhances fines and monitoring controls for use of these products.

“While vaping has contributed to a significant decline in our smoking rates, the rapid increase among young people is a real concern for parents, teachers and health professionals,” the Minister of State for Health said in a statement today from New Zealand. , Casey Costello.

“The Coalition Government is committed to combating youth smoking and continuing to reduce smoking rates to achieve the target of less than 5% of people smoking daily by 2025,” the minister announced.

The announcement follows sharp criticism of the New Zealand Prime Minister's conservative government Christopher LuxonShortly after coming to power last November – to replace – it was established that people born in 2009 could not buy tobacco in the country before it took effect.

According to Radio New Zealand, the government expects new amendments to the Smoke-Free Environments and Regulated Substances Act (1990) to come into effect by the end of the year as the bill moves through the regular mechanism in Parliament.

On the other hand, the minister clarified that other measures approved last year during the previous Labor government Chris Hipkins A ban on attractive designs and restrictions on flavors used in vapes will go into effect this Thursday as planned.

In New Zealand, only 8% of adults smoke daily, down from 9.4% in 2021 and 16% ten years ago, according to a survey published in November last year.