The Green Party are welcoming the Government’s announcement of regulations to curb youth vaping.

“Drugs, like nicotine and alcohol, should be regulated in an evidence-based way to reduce harm. With the already extensive evidence of environmental harm and ease of uptake with disposable vapes, today we’re celebrating the Government joining the party in effectively phasing them out,” says Chlöe Swarbrick, Green Drug Law Reform Spokesperson.

“This is a specific proposal we fought for throughout the progress of last year’s Smokefree Environments Amendment Bill. Disposable vapes tend to be cheaper and more appealing to younger people. They can lure eventually addicted users through initially casual use, and they tend to be made of volatile materials which have exploded in landfills and our natural environment.

“There’s no real good news for people or planet with disposable vapes, which is why it’s great news they’re finally on the out.

“Implementing generic flavours and packaging, along with limitations on the proliferation of specialist shops are also solid evidence-based harm reduction. They’re the same kinds of regulations that were proposed in the Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill, stripping back commerciality while recognising the need for legal regulation to remove potential for the black market.

“The Greens thank Minister Verrall for her work and collaboration on this kaupapa – and look forward to all the more evidence-based drug harm reduction. Next stop, the Frankenstein Misuse of Drugs Act 1975,” says Chlöe Swarbrick

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