This page was last edited on: October 10, 2019
Yes
New Zealand is one the most heavily regulated countries, when it comes to tobacco. The Smoke-free Environments Act (SFEA) of 1990 imposed a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising and promotion, including a ban on the display of all tobacco products at points of sale. Smoking in public, indoor places is also widely prohibited. Non-nicotine e-cigarettes are unregulated in New Zealand; however, because nicotine is a scheduled substance under New Zealand’s Medicines Act, sale and supply of e-cigarettes, heat-not-burn products, and snus are outlawed by the SFEA. In 2017, the Ministry of Health recommended amending the SFEA to allow for the legal sale of e-cigarettes with restrictions. These recommendations also outlined a pre-market approval process for reduced-risk and smokeless tobacco products.
New Zealanders are well educated on the dangers of smoking. Media coverage includes the benefits of smoke-free environments and the use of vaping and e-cigarettes as a healthy alternative to cigarettes.
Vaping products and e-cigarettes are used frequently in New Zealand and covered in a relatively positive way by the media.
“To help people quit effectively, we need a range of products and support so people can find what works best for them. Different things will work for different people.”
– Marewa Glover, PhD, professor of public health
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