Author: Nancy Loucas

Nancy comes from a diverse administrative background that includes surgical research administration, teaching (primary and tertiary level), executive administration and community property management. For over 15 years she has been very active in community advocacy with youth, lower income folk needing advocacy and now, vaping advocacy. She brings a wealth of scientific, medical and research administrative/management knowledge with her to her role as CEO/Director at AVCA.

Submit in support of Kiwi vapers and businesses this lockdown

Auckland’s many smokefree supporters and vapers should use this latest lockdown, and wet weather, to submit on the Ministry of Health’s draft vaping regulations and support Kiwi businesses, says a leading tobacco harm reduction advocate. “Never waste a lockdown, and that includes Auckland’s snap lockdown. Sadly, as a country we’re miles off achieving Smokefree 2025 […]

Still time to follow the evidence on vape flavours – petitioner

Nearly a year since a Parliamentary petition on vaping flavours closed, and exactly six months since the Government’s vaping legislation was passed, the petition organiser has submitted a supporting supplementary submission at the Health Select Committee’s request. Despite the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Vaping) Amendment Act 2020 now in play, the Government could still […]

Getting vaping regulations right is ‘absolutely critical’ – AVCA

A leading tobacco harm reduction advocate is encouraging New Zealand’s smokefree supporters and vapers to have their say on the Ministry of Health’s latest draft vaping regulations. “Regulations are necessary, but they need to be proportionate. Restricting the choices, access, and visibility of vaping – which is a much safer option for smokers – will […]

2021 key to getting Smokefree NZ back on track

2021 is shaping up to be the most critical year to achieving a smokefree country. However, it will take a lot of determination to deliver on a national ambition that’s already 10 years old, says a leading New Zealand tobacco harm reduction advocate. “Smokefree 2025 is sadly unlikely to be achieved, but all is not […]

Stuck in a Time Warp

Its been a very strange year indeed…if 2020 could just fade into the sunset like an old cowboy on his trusted horse, that would be great…sigh When AVCA was denied entry to a Public Health Seminar series this past February because of our alleged “tobacco industry connection”, we all first laughed a bit at the […]

Press Release – MOH has completely missed opportunity this Stoptober

 Media release Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocacy (AVCA) Sunday, 11 October 2020 Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocacy (AVCA) says the Ministry of Health has missed an excellent opportunity to fully support Kiwi smokers by not getting in behind Stoptober 2020. Created by Public Health England and launched in 2012, Stoptober has become a popular initiative in many […]

Press Release – All Workplace Vaping Stops Today, But Don’t Shun Vapers

Wednesday, 11 November 2020, 9:15 am From today – 11 November – the existing prohibition on smoking inside workplaces will be extended to include vaping, but Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocacy (AVCA) says there are other areas vapers need to respect as well. Vape-free areas include buses, trains, taxis and rideshare services, passenger queuing areas and […]

AVCA Supplementary Submission: Parliamentary Petition on Flavours

Here is the full text of the supplemental submission that AVCA has made to the Health Select Committee regarding Parliamentary Petition that was presented in August 2020. The petition itself can be found here. It was submitted by David Seymour, ACT *after* Parliament had passed the SmokeFree Legislation Amendment. Nancy was contacted by the Health Select […]