7 Jun 2023

School principal on new laws around youth vaping

From First Up, 5:46 am on 7 June 2023

The Government has announced a crackdown on the sale of vapes to curb the numbers of young people using them From August, vapes will need to have batteries and new shops won't be able to open within 300 metres of a school or marae. Disposable vapes will be phased out over three months. There will also be a restriction on the flavours of vapes available with names like 'cotton candy' and 'strawberry donut' banned Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall said whilst it is illegal to sell vapes to young people under 18 and illegal to vape in schools, it's still happening. Papatoetoe High School Principal Vaughan Couillaut says whilst he's happy to see action, he's not sure its gone far enough.