Source: MIL-OSI Submissions
Source: Impact PR
Specialist vape retailers are awaiting Government clarification on whether they can open as an essential service provider during the current lockdown.
New legislation which came into effect last week means dairies and service stations around NZ are now prohibited from selling vaping flavours other than tobacco, mint or menthol from August 11.
Specialist retailers say this change has the potential to derail the smoking cessation efforts of thousands of Kiwis.
Nabhik Gupta, spokesperson for Shosha, NZ’s largest retailer of e-cigarettes, says within just 30 minutes of the Government’s announcement, queues had formed across their Auckland stores with customers “panic buying”.
He says many people are reliant on a wider range of flavours and so visited the stores to stock up before the midnight deadline.
Gupta says in-store orders were up 200% with customers waiting up to 20 minutes in line to get served.
“We know from our experience last year many customers missed out on purchasing their preferred flavours and had to wait on online orders. Unfortunately there were delivery delays of up to 10-15 days as we were reliant on the availability of our courier services.
“Customers queuing in our stores tonight said they did not want to risk missing out.
“While they can still order from us online we are hoping that this time around there will be fewer delays so those needing their vape products will have more immediate access to them.
“It is very concerning that under the current COVID alert level Kiwis can more easily purchase cigarettes from retailers than they can access a wider range of vape products which could be used to help support their quit smoking efforts.
“We are currently awaiting a response from the Ministry of Health to determine whether the lockdown rules will be amended in light of the introduction of the new legislation that came into effect just a week ago,” he says.
Gupta says vapes provide a useful tool in helping those addicted to smoking to quit and expert opinion is that vaping products are much less harmful than smoking tobacco but not completely harmless.[1]
