The Government has today reconfirmed a range of requirements for reusable vaping products coming into effect on 21 March 2024, but has put on hold other requirements to allow for further review of the regulations.
21 March 2024 requirements
From 21 March 2024 reusable vaping products must comply with maximum nicotine levels, prescribed flavour descriptions and ensure there are no toy or cartoon images on products.
Some existing vaping products on the market may not be compliant with these new requirements. We encourage notifiers to review their products against the new requirements and withdraw the notification for any non-compliant products. The process to do this is outlined here.
Requirements for selling reusable vaping products to have removable batteries and child safety mechanisms will be deferred for six months, from 21 March 2024 until 1 October 2024.
This will allow for further review of the regulations. This means you have six more months to sell products that do not have child safety mechanisms and removable batteries.
Product notifications
Product notification requirements remain unchanged.
Other changes
Additionally, other changes to the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act and Regulations have been announced by the Government today.
These include a ban on disposable vapes and an increase in fines for sales to under-18s. Timeframes for these changes are still to be confirmed.
| Requirement | Single-use | Reusable |
|---|---|---|
| Removable batteries | All single-use vaping products sold in New Zealand must contain a removable battery. | All reusable vaping products notified on or after 21 October 2023 must have a removable battery. All reusable vaping products notified before 21 October 2023 can continue to be sold until 1 October 2024 when the deferred regulations come in to effect. They cannot be sold after 1 October 2024. |
| Child-safety mechanisms | All single-use vaping products sold in New Zealand must contain a removable battery. | All reusable vaping products notified on or after 21 October 2023 must have a child-safety mechanism. All reusable vaping products notified before 21 October 2023 can continue to be sold until 1 October 2024 when the deferred regulations come in to effect. They cannot be sold after 1 October 2024. |
| Flavours | All single-use vaping products sold in New Zealand must comply with variant name restrictions. | All reusable vaping products sold in New Zealand must comply with variant name restrictions. |
| Nicotine limits | Nicotine must not exceed a nicotine limit of 20 mg/ml. | A vaping substance that contains nicotine only in salt form and is intended for use in a reusable vaping device has a maximum nicotine limit of 28.5 mg/ml. All other vaping substances have a maximum nicotine limit of 20 mg/ml. |
| Labelling requirements | Must comply with labelling requirements under clauses 1, 1A, and 24A, Schedule 5 of the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Regulations 2021. | Must comply with labelling requirements under clause 1, Schedule 5 of the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Regulations 2021. |
