NZ’s Health Ministry Ignores Vape Flavour Petition

Source from:  Vapingpost 03/17/2021

Countless vape advocates in New Zealand, have always been in favour of, and even urged local authorities to set in place, vape regulations. However, they believe that the Ministry of Health’s proposed fee structure and flavour restrictions in the draft bill, will be counterproductive to public health.

To this effect, the co-director of Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocacy (AVCA) and Executive Coordinator for the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA), had submitted a petition signed by over 17,000 vapers and tobacco harm reduction advocates. Sadly, this was fully ignored and only presented to Parliament five days after the vaping bill disputed in the petition had already been passed.

“Over 17,000 Kiwis signed a Parliamentary petition on vaping, which was then completely ignored until five days after the vaping bill was passed. It’s so disappointing and shows what a sham the whole process has been from beginning to end,” said Loucas.

The decision should be based on science, not emotion

When local authorities reopened consultations about the draft bill, Loucas resubmitted the petition. She is now calling on new Associate Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall and new Health Select Committee Dr Liz Craig, both public health experts, to look at the evidence and base their decision on science, not emotion.

Commenting on the petition and AVCA’s supporting supplementary submission, the Ministry of Health says it “does not support any further expansion, via regulation, of the available flavours sold by generic retailers at this point in time. Our recommendation is that the provisions should come into force as intended on 11 August 2021.”