Educators are calling on the New Zealand Government to follow Australia’s lead and tighten vaping rules, over concerns today’s young people are at risk of becoming tomorrow’s smokers.
With reports of primary school-aged children vaping, the issue had “gotten out of hand” says Hawke’s Bay Secondary Schools’ Principals’ Association Dawn Ackroyd.
Health Minister Ayesha Verrall admits the balance is not right in New Zealand between “vapes being available as a tool to support people to quit and making sure young people don’t vape”.
In March the Government finished consultation on proposed measures to crack down on youth vaping.
READ MORE:
* ‘A whole new addiction’: Calls for Government to do more to stop young people vaping
* NZ won’t follow Australia’s vape crackdown this Parliamentary term – health minister
* Government proposes new measures to cut ‘too high’ youth vaping rates
* Call for anti-vaping school campaign to stem rise in teens vaping
Verrall said changes to match Australia were not one of the options the Government could take through regulations, saying there was not enough time.
Australia is set to ban the import of non-prescription vaping products and all single-use vapes, restrict flavours and colours and further limit nicotine concentration and volumes in fresh proposals announced this week.
DAVID UNWIN/Stuff
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