“Associate Health Minister Jenny Salesa and Labour have shown staggering incompetence on vaping legislation”, according to ACT Leader David Seymour.
“Back in November 2018 – 443 days ago – New Zealanders were told that the Government intended to regulate vaping. Despite multiple promises, we’ve seen nothing.
“Jacinda Ardern said this morning on the AM Show that she hopes legislation will be in place by the election. Her Government has 54 sitting days in which to make that happen.
“If it is true that large numbers of children are vaping, the first act of the Government when Parliament resumes must be to introduce legislation banning the sale of vaping devices and nicotine e-liquids to under 18s.
“This straightforward change would have support across the Parliament and would prevent these products from falling into the hands of children.
“But banning vaping flavours and advertising for all New Zealanders would be the worst imaginable outcome.
“Punishing tobacco taxes haven’t brought down smoking rates, but the market has delivered a safe, innovative solution for smokers wanting to quit. Thousands of smokers are switching to vaping.
“When the law is finally introduced, it must put vaping and smoking on a level playing field so that 500,000 smokers have an incentive to quit. Wholesale banning of vaping flavours and advertising would mean that smokers keep smoking for longer at a massive cost to their health and the country.”