New Zealanders only have a few more days to have their say about proposed smoked tobacco and vaping regulations that will help Aotearoa New Zealand reach its smokefree goal.
The Smoked Tobacco Regulatory Regime consultation closes at 5pm on 15 March. So far, more than a thousand submissions have been made online with whakaaro also shared during targeted kanohi-ki-te-kanohi hui and fono.
The consultation asks for public feedback on proposals intended to implement policy that will significantly reduce the number of stores that sell smoked tobacco products and make products less addictive and appealing with lower nicotine levels.
Proposals also intend to tighten current restrictions on vaping product safety and packaging including extending product safety requirements for disposable vaping products. Manatū Hauora is also seeking feedback on proximity restrictions relating to where Specialist Vape Retailers can be located, looking at, for example, the distance between SVRs and places like schools and sports grounds. These vaping proposals respond to concerns about the appeal of vaping products to rangatahi and tamariki and aim to ensure that disposable vapes are safe to use.
New Zealand voices are vital in helping to develop and shape the rules and guidance needed to carry out the new requirements of the recently updated Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act. To find out more and have your say go to: Proposals for the Smoked Tobacco Regulatory Regime consultation.
