Insufficient Manpower Makes Law Enforcement Difficult New Zealand Only Issued Nearly A Hundred Infringement Notices To Illegal E-cigarette Shops
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The shortage of staff has made law enforcement difficult, leading to less than 100 infringement notices being issued for illegal e-cigarette sales in New Zealand. While fines totaling NZD 42,900 have been imposed on retailers, it seems that the lack of enforcement has enabled some retailers to continue selling to minors. The fines for selling to underage buyers are between NZD 200 to NZD 1000, and 96 of the 100 infringements were for selling e-cigarettes to individuals under 18 years old.
The manager of the Public Health Policy and Regulatory Action Group at the Ministry of Health, Alison Cossar, has indicated that the enforcement of e-cigarette regulations is ramping up. She promised that there will be a doubling of the officials authorized to enforce e-cigarette-related laws in the coming months. At present, there are 29 officials enforcing e-cigarette laws with an additional 32 personnel receiving training or being recruited.
The delay in enforcing e-cigarette laws has been attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic as efforts have been redirected to public health services. There are over 1300 e-cigarette retailers listed on the New Zealand Health Consultation and Regulatory Platform, with thousands of convenience stores, petrol stations, and grocery stores selling limited types of e-cigarette products. While the low rate of infringement notices may be shocking, it comes as no surprise to some advocacy groups.
Anna Stewart, a member of Smokefree Youth and Mothers Against Smoking Christchurch, expressed her dissatisfaction, stating that regulation and enforcement can only be effective if they act as deterrents to prevent youngsters from using e-cigarettes. However, it seems that more resources are being allocated to support e-cigarette retailers rather than ensuring their compliance.
Anna shared the online review of a local convenience store, which has been fined three times but continues to sell e-cigarettes to underage customers. She was particularly appalled when her teenage son was able to purchase a restricted product from this store even after she had sent him in to test their compliance.
“These stores continue to sell to young children, highlighting how undervalued young people's health is.”
Overall, more law enforcement personnel need to be trained and deployed to ensure that e-cigarette regulations are strictly enforced. Otherwise, many e-cigarette sellers may continue to flout the law, leading to the continued sales of these products to underage individuals and putting their health at risk.
