News reports that vaping is increasingly being used in schools in Auckland is cause for real concern, Hāpai Te Hauora’s CEO Selah Hart said.

"More than ever this highlights the need for the speedy introduction of legislation for vaping," she said, "to ensure that new niche groups don’t take up the practice."

Legislation would restrict the purchase age of buying to 18 years old as well as the point of sale of e-cigarettes and marketing of products to specific age groups.

"While figures show that only 1.9% of 15 to 17 year olds use e-cigarettes daily, vaping should only be used as a quitting tool, not as a method of making smoking cool again" Ms. Hart said.

" However, for those whānau who used to smoke and have switched to vaping, they need to have the autonomy to choose vaping products," Ms. Hart said.

"Having the choice to vape as part of a quitting programme, means they will be much more likely to stop entirely."

Ms. Hart went onto say that these new regulations will also set maximum levels of nicotine, stop the proliferation of vaping ads young people are experiencing at the moment and require products to be sold from behind the counter.

"It can’t come soon enough," she says.

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