New Zealand: Vape shops fail to check age, sell illegal products
June 10, 2024
Par: National Committee Against Smoking
Dernière mise à jour: June 10, 2024
Temps de lecture: 4 minutes
According to a survey[1] A mystery shopping survey conducted by the University of Otago in four New Zealand cities found illegal vaping devices were being sold in specialist vaping stores. In addition, many stores failed to verify customers' ages and were selling the products at heavily discounted prices, with some admitting they were being sold at low prices because they were illegal.
Cheap vaping products were purchased and tested to ensure they met the new nicotine limits and safety regulations. New Zealand banned the sale of disposable e-cigarettes in December 2023. Vaping products can no longer be sold if they exceed the maximum nicotine limits (20mg/ml). The products must also have removable batteries and child-resistant features. Finally, new labelling requirements are imposed. Attractive flavours, such as “cotton candy”, must be renamed with more neutral names.
A buyer's age check that is not carried out
A 20-year-old mystery shopper hired by the University of Otago visited 96 % vaping retailers in Wellington, Porirua, Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt (N=74) in January 2024, and observed no-sales-to-minors signage, age verification practices, and the prices and brands of the cheapest vaping products available. While all but three stores (96%) displayed a no-sales-to-minors-under-18 sign, 29 stores (39%) had non-compliant signage. Only one store (1.4 %) required ID upon entry. In New Zealand, vaping retailers are required to take all reasonable steps to prevent anyone under the age of 18 from entering their licensed vaping premises (for example: a controlled door opening to allow a person’s age to be verified; a member of staff greeting people and customers at the door to verify the age of customers before they enter the premises). Clear signage outside the premises must indicate that persons under the age of 18 are not permitted to enter.
Only 50 % stores asked for ID at the time of purchase and a third of these retailers went ahead with the sale even though the buyer did not provide ID.
Non-compliant products sold at reduced prices
The results also showed that single-use vapes remained available for NZ$10 or less in most stores, and reusable starter kits were also widely available for $10–$20. High-nicotine disposables (exceeding 20mg/ml nicotine) were sold for $2.50 each. These products were generally available in the most socio-economically deprived suburbs, where vape shops were clustered. New Zealand law prohibits tobacco discounts, but there is an exception for e-cigarettes or specialist vape retailers.
In New Zealand, smoking prevalence is at the lowest level among OECD countries, at 8.1% of daily smokers in 2022 compared to 11.9% in 2020. However, vaping consumption is increasing: 8.3% of adults were vaping in 2022, compared to 6.2% the previous year. Among teenagers, the prevalence of daily vaping would be 20 %.
Dr Ball, who is part of the research team, called on the government to communicate very clearly on the regulations in force, to strengthen the enforcement of the law concerning the ban on sales to minors and to prevent all commercial operations by retailers by supplementing existing legislation with a ban on these practices.
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[1] Ball J, Katoa L, Hoek J. Specialist vape store audit reveals poor compliance with new e-cigarette regulations. NZ Med J. 2024 Jun 7;137(1596):72-85. doi:10.26635/6965.6507. PMID: 38843551.
National Committee Against Smoking |