A number of specialist vape retailers in Invercargill, Edendale and Gore have been caught selling vaping products to minors in a controlled operation earlier this month.

Smokefree enforcement officers from Te Whatu Ora’s National Public Health Service (NPHS) carried out Controlled Purchase Operations (CPOs) on 10 specialist vape retailers, where seven of the 10 premises sold vaping products to a minor.

The operations are designed to monitor retail outlets which may be selling vape or tobacco products to minors.

“It is very disappointing to see that retailers in Invercargill, Edendale and Gore all sold vaping products to a minor,” said Smokefree enforcement officer for NPHS Southern Stephanie Bekhuis-Pay.

“One of the retailers sold to a minor twice over two days and this retailer also sold flavoured vape products in the general store area. The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990 (SERPA) prohibits the sale of vape products to minors.

“Additionally, none of the retailers took steps to prevent under 18 year-olds entering their premises, aside from the standard R18 signage on the entrance.

“No one wants to see children in our communities vaping”, she said.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon promised to keep the previous Labour government’s plans to crack down on cheap disposable vapes, despite his Government’s controversial decision to scrap the smoking ban.

New regulations from December 21 stop new specialist vape stores from opening up in the immediate vicinity of schools and marae, only allowing vape products and their packaging to have generic flavour descriptions, reducing the maximum nicotine strength in single-use vapes, and ensuring all vaping products have removable batteries and child-safety mechanisms.

The Government also planned to create stronger penalties for those who sold vapes to under 18s, Luxon said.

In July, Southland district councillors said community pressure had resulted in a vape store not opening in Te Anau, and subtle pressure could be exerted on already-open vape stores in the region.

At a meeting at that time, Southland District councillors voted to include vaping alongside cigarettes in the council’s draft smoke-free open spaces policy, which would go out for public consultation.

In the same month, Aurora College principal Craig Taylor said vaping was an issue at many schools around New Zealand, including Aurora, which had students as young as 12 vaping.

At that time, seven of Invercargill’s 10 specialist vape stores were located in south Invercargill, and Taylor said there was no need for so many.