New Zealand Has More Than 7,000 Vape Shops?!

On August 22, news emerged that parents in Auckland, New Zealand, took to the streets to protest the opening of vape shops near schools. At the same time, high school principal Vaughan Couillault stated that vape pens have become a lifestyle for students. Marni Wilton also mentioned that many vape shops have recently appeared near her son's local school in Auckland suburbs. "New Zealand now has over 7,500 vape shops. The new laws do not affect existing shops that have already been established. Many shops are located close to our schools and playgrounds—they are all in those safe areas," she added.

Currently, New Zealand's new regulations include a ban on most disposable vapes, prohibiting the establishment of new vape shops within 300m (900 feet) of any school, and enforcing generic flavor descriptions. However, there are no rules to regulate the various flavors themselves. New Zealand aims to be smoke-free by 2025, meaning no cigarettes or tobacco, which is where vaping comes into play. For long-term adult smokers, vaping is seen as a less harmful alternative, but on the other hand, there is exponential growth in youth (sometimes even young children) using vapes. Meanwhile, neighboring Australia has taken a hard stance, banning recreational vaping and stipulating that it can only be used with a prescription.