This week disposable vapes are officially getting the boot in New Zealand.
A nationwide ban on the sale, supply, manufacture and distribution of disposable vapes comes into effect tomorrow, June 18, as part of the Government’s next crackdown on vaping, especially among our rangatahi/young people.
“We are getting rid of vapes that are most popular among young people,” said Associate Health Minister Casey Costello when the changes were first announced back in September last year.
The move follows worrying numbers from the 2023/24 NZ Health Survey, which found that 10.5% of 15-17-year-olds are vaping daily.
While single-use vapes are gone as of tomorrow, pod-style vapes - the refillable kind or with pre-filled pods - are still sticking around for now.
It’s not just the vapes themselves getting regulated - it’s how they’re being sold and advertised too.
From Tuesday, dairies and other general retailers can’t display any vaping products.
Specialist vape stores have to keep everything outta sight, too - even from their websites and social media.
Even offering discounts, freebies or giveaways is now banned, or there's a risk of running up a $2,000 fine.
This is part two of a bigger crackdown that kicked off back in December 2024.
That first wave saw tougher penalties come in for selling to minors, and vape stores banned from opening within 100m of kindergartens, schools and marae.
Public health expert Janet Hoek said the ban could curb teen vaping – if cheap pod vapes don’t flood the market next.
“Disposable vapes are typically inexpensive [some selling for $10], so the industry may respond by introducing new, lower-priced reusable vapes,” she said.
On a better note, banning disposables could slash vape-related e-waste, especially if reusable vapes are correctly discarded after final use.
According to the Matamata-Piako council’s vape recycling initiative introduced in 2024, up to 80% of devices can be recycled properly.
So, whether the ban causes reduced vaping numbers, less waste, or even just less exposure, there’s no denying it’s a move in a better smoke-free direction.
Who knows it may even be a kick start for some to quit the nic altogether.
