Cancer Society welcomes restrictions on flavoured vape products from stores where children regularly shop but says monitoring of the legislation will be crucial to protect young people from the harms of vaping.

From today, only specialist R18 stores will be allowed to sell the full range of vape flavours, including fruit and candy flavours that appeal to young people. Any other retailer, including supermarkets, dairies, and petrol stations, will be restricted to selling only tobacco, mint and menthol flavoured vapes.

Vape flavours appeal to and attract young people particularly the sweet and fruit flavours. Research has indicated that flavours are a key reason young people are experimenting with vaping and why they continue to vape. Restricting flavours that are easily available to young people will deter youth uptake of vaping.

Cancer Society of New Zealand, Manager of Advocacy and Research, Shayne Nahu says that ensuring vape flavours are not available at every corner store, will help reduce the impact that vaping has had on schools and families in New Zealand.

“Vaping can be a helpful tool for people who smoke and want to quit, but we have to balance that with the impact on our rangitahi.

“Schools around New Zealand have expressed repeatedly that vaping is a growing concern. The best thing for our lungs is fresh air and the long-term effects of vaping are still unclear.”

Nahu says it’s important the government enforces the vaping regulations as without compliance the effectiveness of this change will be compromised.

“Today’s restrictions around flavours, will play an important part in protecting the next generation.”

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