Article posted on Vaping360 - Author: Jim McDonald - Translator: The Vape Club
This is good news for vapers in New Zealand, as their government has finally proposed allowing the sale of e-cigarette products containing nicotine .
The remarkable thing about vaping is that it is less harmful than cigarettes.
New Zealand is preparing to legalise e-cigarettes containing nicotine. The government has released a consultation paper and is asking for public opinion on the proposal. Vapers and other citizens are encouraged to make their comments based on the paper. Using any nicotine-containing product, other than tobacco, is illegal in New Zealand.
“Currently, the sale and use of e-cigarettes containing nicotine is prohibited in New Zealand. However, people are still buying them online and bringing them in from overseas for personal use,” said Health Minister Peseta Sam Lotu Iiga to the New Zealand Herald. “This proposal would allow all types of e-cigarettes to be legalized in New Zealand with appropriate controls.”
Mr. Peseta Sam Lotu Iiga speaks about the proposal to legalize vaping
“E-cigarettes are a new product and are still being researched and developed. Currently, the sale of e-cigarettes containing nicotine is prohibited while traditional cigarettes, which are more dangerous to users, are sold openly. Users of e-cigarettes containing nicotine can only buy their products through overseas hand-carried products and illegal traders. The current laws, which are taken from the SFEA1990 e-cigarette bill and the Medicines Act 1981, are inadequate. The current legal status of e-cigarettes is quite confusing and as a result, the law is not properly enforced.
The harms and benefits of e-cigarettes are still unclear. There is a lack of clear evidence about the long-term effects of e-cigarette use and the effects on non-users. There has been some suggestion that the introduction of these products has had some effect on tobacco consumption. There is scientific debate about whether e-cigarettes are an effective way for people to quit smoking. At the same time, there is a consensus in the scientific community that e-cigarettes are much less harmful than cigarettes. There is also evidence that using e-cigarettes reduces the risk of diseases caused by regular smoking.
The Ministry of Health is currently consulting on policy options for the e-cigarette bill, including possible amendments to the SFEA. The purpose of these consultations is to clarify the legal position. The proposed amendments would mean that all e-cigarette products (nicotine and non-nicotine) would be legally allowed for sale in New Zealand, but e-cigarettes would only be sold to people aged 18 and over, advertising of e-cigarettes would remain banned, and the use of e-cigarettes would also be banned within the SFEA.
The Ministry of Health also welcomes feedback from the public to consider whether the current tobacco control of SFEA should be applied to e-cigarettes and whether product quality and safety control is necessary.
After consulting the public on the proposal outlined in this article, the ministry will draft a precise bill and report to the Cabinet later this year.”
- Excerpt from the statement of the New Zealand Ministry of Health -
Under the government's proposal, all e-cigarette products would be sold to people over the age of eighteen, but would still be banned in non-smoking areas and would not be advertised. Child-safe packaging and restrictions on the content of e-liquids would be considered.
Supporters are delighted
Pro-vaping group End Smoking NZ is delighted with the decision. “Deputy Health Minister Peseta Sam Lotu Iiga has made the right decision,” End Smoking president Dr Marewa Glover said in a statement released on Tuesday. “He has genuinely listened to smokers and vapers. We are relieved that the country’s pragmatic nature has overcome the negative information and unfounded fears that have dominated the debate.”
“I am very excited,” said Dr. Murray Laugesen. “This will be a major turning point in reducing smoking-related death and disease.”
The government is taking public comments until September 12. Vapers should take this opportunity to urge the government not to cap nicotine levels and to rethink the advertising ban.
