We believe that it is our right, as adults, to choose to utilise e-cigarettes as a means of quitting smoking and staying off cigarettes and combustible tobacco products and be able to purchase the equipment and nicotine e- liquid within the country as a consumer product in the same manner as any other 18+ restricted retail product.
We believe that the Government should not be allowed to significantly inhibit the use of e-cigarettes and e-liquid as harm reduction products by smokers, either through legislation nor through excessive regulation.
We believe that any regulatory strategy should take a balanced approach in seeking to ensure product safety, through recognising and utilising the peer reviewed science currently available that states e-cigarettes and e-liquid are 95% less harmful than combustible tobacco. and enable availability of e-cigarettes and e-liquid without exorbitant taxation and/or licensing fees that may limit availability and restrict the market.
We believe that nicotine e-liquid should be made available on the retail market locally in New Zealand and not be unduly burdened by regulation, taxation or restriction.
We believe that the Ministry of Health needs to base any decisions relative to e-cigarettes and e-liquid based on current peer reviewed medical and scientific research from various sources, both locally and overseas.
We believe that the Ministry of Health needs to make official their stance on e-cigarettes and e-liquid with regards to allowing medical professionals and NGO’s contracted by the government to provide smoking cessation guidance and assistance to offer information and advice regarding the use of e-cigarettes and nicotine e-liquid as possible options for smoking cessation.