Proposals for the Smoked Tobacco Regulatory Regime

Overview

Manatū Hauora would like to hear from you about changes to the way smoked tobacco and vaping products are made and sold in Aotearoa (this includes vaping, heated tobacco and herbal smoking products).

Following recent updates to the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act, we are seeking your views on proposals to implement these changes, including a retail scheme (where products are sold), and low nicotine requirements for smoked tobacco in Aotearoa.

The consultation document sets out proposals to tighten current restrictions on vaping product safety requirements and packaging. It also considers some restrictions on the location of Specialist Vape Retailers (SVR’s). These proposals respond to concerns about the appeal of vaping products to youth and aim to ensure that disposable vapes are safe to use. The proposals are not intended to restrict access or availability to vaping products to people who wish to stop smoking and switch to a less harmful product.

These proposals, and your feedback on them, will help us develop regulations, written notices and guidance to implement the new provisions of the Act. For Māori, this is also the first step in a consultation journey which will involve targeted engagement to help us fulfil our obligations under Te Tiriti.

It’s important that these changes are workable. Your feedback on these proposals is crucial and will help shape the detail of the new regulatory regime. We appreciate you taking the time to make a submission.

Download the consultation document:

• Proposals for the Smoked Tobacco Regulatory Regime (PDF, 600 KB)
• Proposals for the Smoked Tobacco Regulatory Regime (Word, 1 MB)
• Supplementary maps - Indicative Allocation of Stores Across New Zealand (PDF, 1.7 MB)
• Supplementary maps - Indicative Allocation of Stores Across New Zealand (Word, 10 MB)

How to provide feedback

You can provide feedback in one of two ways.

1. Use this online tool. This is our preferred way for you to provide feedback.

You can fill out the detailed submission if you want to have a say on all of the proposed changes. If you just want to have your say on a few key questions, you can fill out the Simple submission.

2. Send an electronic submission to smokefree2025@health.govt.nz using our downloadable Microsoft Word template.

• Microsoft Word consultation submission template (Word, 66 KB)

If you have any issues with the template, please email us at smokefree2025@health.govt.nz.

The closing date for submissions is 5pm Wednesday 15 March 2023.

Note that your submission may be requested under the Official Information Act 1982. If this happens, the Ministry of Health will normally release your submission to the person who asks for it. If you consider there are good reasons to withhold it, please clearly indicate these in your submission.