New Zealand seeks feedback on reducing youth vaping rates

According to an online report from The Times, the New Zealand government is seeking feedback on measures to reduce the number of young people vaping.

According to Ayesha Verrall, the Deputy Director-General of Health in New Zealand, electronic cigarettes are becoming increasingly popular among young people in the country, including those who have never smoked traditional cigarettes.

We hope that smokers who want to quit smoking can use electronic cigarette products. However, the proportion of young people who use electronic cigarettes is too high, so we need to strike a balance," she said.

Proposed measures include placing regional restrictions on all new electronic cigarette retailers, so they are not located near schools and sports fields; limiting flavor names to avoid attracting young people; and limiting disposable e-cigarette products, which are cheaper and more easily accessible than other e-cigarettes.

Additionally, the government aims to decrease the maximum concentration of nicotine salt in disposable products from 50mg/mL to 35mg/mL, and hopes to require electronic cigarette companies to print serial numbers or batch numbers on their products for traceability.

The consultation documents can be obtained on the website of the New Zealand Ministry of Health, with a submission deadline of 5pm on March 15th.