WVA Hits Out at Disposable Ban
New Zealand’s smoke-free status is at risk due to the nation’s plan to ban disposable/single use vape products, the World Vapers’ Alliance warns
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by Dave Cross
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The World Vapers’ Alliance says it is deeply concerned about New Zealand’s decision to ban disposable/single use vape products. With the country close to becoming smoke-free, the consumer group warns that this ban could undermine the progress made in reducing smoking rates.
The New Zealand Ministry of Health announced that the ban was being introduced with the intention of reducing adolescent vaping – the similar flawed reasoning behind the UK’s old Tobacco and Vapes Bill. The new regulations will prohibit the manufacture and sale of all non-rechargeable and non-refillable vapes, including single-use containers such as pre-filled tanks, pods, and cartridges.
The World Vapers’ Alliance has warned that this decision could have detrimental effects on public health, potentially reversing the progress New Zealand has made in reducing conventional smoking.
Alberto Gómez Hernández, Policy Manager at the World Vapers’ Alliance, commented: “Preventing teenagers from using nicotine products is essential, and strict age regulations should be enforced to achieve this goal. However, banning disposable vapes and various pod systems for adult consumers will have negative public health implications and jeopardise the progress towards a smoke-free society achieved in the last decade. This approach fails to recognise the vital role disposable vaping products play in helping smokers transition away from cigarettes.”
Gómez Hernández further elaborated on the potential consequences of the ban: “New Zealand’s progress toward becoming smoke-free is a prime example of how effective harm reduction strategies are. Unfortunately, this ban on all non-refillable vapes risks undermining that progress, making vaping less accessible to adult smokers seeking less risky alternatives to traditional tobacco.”
The World Vapers’ Alliance is calling on New Zealand’s health authorities to reconsider this prohibitionist approach and urges the government to maintain its commitment to progressive tobacco harm reduction strategies, which have proven effective in lowering smoking rates and improving public health outcomes.
The World Vapers’ Alliance says that it “amplifies the voice of vapers worldwide and empowers them to make a difference in their communities. Our members are vapers associations and individual vapers from all over the world.”
Alberto Gómez Hernández is the policy manager of the World Vapers' Alliance. He is Spanish and currently based in Madrid. He holds a degree in Economics from the Carlos III University of Madrid and has worked for several non-profit organisations and think tanks in recent years. He is an experienced activist and passionate about tobacco harm reduction.
Dave Cross
Journalist at POTVDave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous start-ups to develop content for their websites.
