Health agencies more than doubled the number of store visits and controlled purchase operations last year to curb illegal sales of cigarettes and vapes to minors, with more than 4,500 operations carried out across New Zealand.
Associate Health Minister, Casey Costello said the boost in compliance activity was being supported by the recruitment of 18 additional Compliance Officers by Health NZ.
In the past year, 489 infringement fines were issued, compared to 198 issued the year before. The proportion of stores found to be non-compliant, approximately 1-in-10, has remained steady over the past two years, the Minister said.
“Encouragingly, around 90% of retailers were compliant with requirements, checking IDs and not selling to minors. However, a small number continue to break the rules,” said Ms Costello.
These stores are increasingly being issued infringement notices, each carrying a fine of up to $2,000, which can be issued without the need for court proceedings, she said.Â
“Efforts to reduce harm to young people from smoking and vaping were also further strengthened last year, with the passing of legislation significantly increasing penalties for non-compliance, banning disposable vapes and limiting how vaping products can be displayed in stores and online.”
The Ministry of Health is now regularly reporting on this compliance work with quarterly updates available on its website:Â https://www.health.govt.nz/regulation-legislation/vaping-herbal-smoking-and-smokeless-tobacco/compliance-monitoring.
