A vape retailer in New Plymouth, Coronation Vape, has been fined $22,000 for repeatedly failing to abide by the law and ignore infringement notices served.
Coronation Vape was sentenced on March 7 at New Plymouth District Court after selling multiple vape flavours from an unapproved vaping premise and selling vapes to children under 18 years old.
The shop's owner has also been fined $1,000 for selling vapes to people under 18.
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora National Public Health Service Director Protection, Becky Jenkins says the prosecution is the result of health agencies' working well together with a strong focus and motivation to enforcing the smokefree laws, particularly when it comes to stopping the sale of vapes to minors.
"This case clearly shows vape shops are targeting young children by selling illegal vapes with enticing flavour names in areas likely to be visited by children," Jenkins says.
"We hope this sentence sends a strong message to any other retailers thinking they might be able to get away with selling to minors."
Ministry of Health Chief Legal Advisor Phil Knipe says this is unacceptable behaviour from the vape shop.
"The smokefree laws exist to protect our most vulnerable groups - children and young people - from the risk of nicotine addiction and other health risks associated with vaping. Breaking these laws puts young people's health at risk for the sake of profit," Knipe says.
"We encourage members of the public to report illegal vape sales and sales to under-18s using the online complaint form on the smokefree website."
The prosecution was undertaken by the Ministry of Health following a Health NZ investigation into the shop. The prosecution comes as health agencies increase their focus on ensuring stores selling vapes and cigarettes are not illegally making sales to minors.
More than 500 controlled purchase operations were carried out by Health NZ staff in just the two months of December and January, which equates to more than a quarter of total operations carried out in a normal year.
At the same time, the government has significantly increased the penalties to stores breaking the law. The fine for selling vapes or cigarettes to a minor has increased from $10,000 to $100,000 for a company, and infringement notices have doubled to up to $2,000.
Selling tobacco or vape products to under 18s is illegal. Help protect your community. Report it here info.health.nz/TellUsnorth_east.
