New Zealand reconsiders its vaping stance and may legalize e-cigarettes

　　No one in the world truly knows what to do about vaping. Just as the new U.S. e-cigarette regulations were about to take effect (August 8), the New Zealand government was seriously considering lifting its ban on e-cigarette devices, which have remained illegal in the country ever since they first appeared there more than a decade ago.

　　Although the New Zealand government took a hardline anti-vaping stance in the early years, it has also supported efforts to better understand the risks and benefits of e-cigarettes. A government-funded study in 2013 was the first to demonstrate the potential for using e-cigarettes to quit smoking, showing that vaping could be as effective as nicotine patches for smoking cessation. More studies have also indicated that, overall, vaping is less harmful than smoking, which is part of the reason New Zealand is reconsidering its position.

　　At present, the sale of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes and e-liquids is illegal in New Zealand, and consumers can only purchase devices and e-liquids that do not contain nicotine. However, importing nicotine-added products for personal use is legal. The government has proposed easing the ban to allow the sale of nicotine vaping products, although use by minors under 18 and advertising would still remain prohibited.

　　None of this has been finalized yet. The Ministry of Health is currently collecting feedback on the proposal to legalize e-cigarettes, but according to policy documents, the government has already “agreed in principle that nicotine-containing e-cigarettes may be legally sold and supplied in New Zealand.”

　　Many regulators are primarily concerned about youth vaping, which is on the rise in the United States, New Zealand, and other countries. However, there is a difference between U.S. laws aimed at preventing minors from using e-cigarettes and New Zealand’s outright ban. For example, what would happen in the United States if most of the industry collapsed under the new regulations? These harsh legal restrictions limit the potential of vaping products to help smokers quit and may even encourage people to continue smoking or relapse.