According to a report by New Zealand media outlet RNZ, Letitia Harding, the CEO of the New Zealand Asthma and Respiratory Foundation, expressed concerns regarding the current regulations on e-cigarettes, stating that they are not stringent enough. Harding called on the government to consider the latest ban imposed by Australia, which prohibits the importation of disposable e-cigarettes.
On January 1st, 2024, the nationwide ban on e-cigarettes came into effect in Australia. This ban includes the prohibition of importing disposable e-cigarettes, and in the future, cartridge-based non-therapeutic e-cigarettes will also be prohibited. Hardin strongly supports Australia's stringent regulations, but believes that the current measures can still be further intensified.
I hope to see the government taking this issue seriously and implementing practical actions by 2024," said Hardin. He believed that banning the sale of disposable e-cigarettes was a commendable approach and added that reducing nicotine content would also be highly beneficial.
In addition, Harding also suggested conducting a comprehensive review of the prescription regulations to reduce their accessibility.
The latest health survey data released in December 2023 reveals a significant increase in the daily usage rate of e-cigarettes over the past five years. The rate has risen from 2.6% in the years 2017/18 to 9.7% in 2022/23. Notably, young adults in the age group of 18 to 24 have the highest usage rate, with a staggering 25.2% reporting daily use.
At the same time, there has been a significant increase in the daily e-cigarette usage rate among teenagers aged 15-17, rising from 8.3% in 2021/22 to 15.4% in 2022/23.
The new government has pledged to reform the laws governing e-cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and oral nicotine products, while also vowing to ban disposable e-cigarettes. They are even considering implementing a liquor license for the sale of e-cigarettes and increasing penalties for illegal sales to minors.
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