The Ministry of Health [MoH] is cracking down on labelling standards for vaping products, closing a loophole for vendors to sell vapes stronger than regulations allow.
However, Wairarapa vape stores said it was just the latest change in a long line of regulatory updates.
An investigation by TVNZ’s Fair Go reported that some vape vendors may have given false or misleading information to the ministry about the amount of nicotine in certain vape products.
It resulted in a government alert to all registered vape vendors to ensure substances complied with the product safety requirements.
The alert included specific guidance on the 50mg/mL strength limit on nicotine salts and how it differed from the amount of nicotine in the substance.
Several Wairarapa vape retailers spoken to by the Times-Age said they were happy to comply with the new regulations.
One vendor, who wished to remain unnamed, said it was the latest in a string of regulation changes from MoH.
“We have had to change the labels multiple times as it becomes standardised – the [vape] industry is still developing regulations,” he said.
Vapes in New Zealand can have up to 50mg/mL of nicotine salts – but the MoH said that some vendors had interpreted that to mean 50mg of nicotine salts, allowing them to sell products much stronger than the law intended.
The urgent alert said distributors and suppliers must review the strength of their products and withdraw all products which exceeded the nicotine salt limit of 50mg/mL.
The Ministry of Health said it intended to test the strength of products labelled as 5 per cent nicotine salts to check for compliance.
It said closing the loophole would mean nicotine measurements would be consistent across products.
The Ministry said that non-compliance from vendors or suppliers could result in fines of up to $400,000.
Vape retailers issued warning
