New Zealand regulates electronic cigarettes under the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990 (and amendments).
Legal Status & Sales
Electronic cigarettes (vapes) containing nicotine are legal for sale to adults aged 18 and over.
- Over-the-counter Sales: Permitted at registered Specialist Vape Retailers (SVRs) and pharmacies.
- General Retailers (e.g., dairies, supermarkets): Can only sell three approved nicotine flavours: tobacco, mint, and menthol. They cannot sell devices.
Key Regulations
- Age Restriction: Illegal to sell or supply vaping products to anyone under 18.
- Marketing & Advertising: Extremely restricted. No advertising that makes vaping appealing, including social media promotion or sponsorship. Point-of-sale advertising in SVRs is limited.
- Product Safety Standards: All products must meet specific standards covering nicotine concentration limits, child-resistant packaging, tank/pod capacity limits (e.g., disposable vapes capped at 600 puffs), and prohibited ingredients. Devices require safety circuitry.
- Packaging & Labelling: Mandatory health warnings (text and/or graphic). Must list ingredients, nicotine strength, PG/VG ratio.
- Flavour Restrictions: Only Specialist Vape Retailers (SVRs) and online vape stores can sell the full range of flavours. General retailers are restricted to tobacco, mint, and menthol.
- Vaping Bans: Illegal to vape in all indoor smokefree areas (e.g., workplaces, restaurants, bars), on public transport, and in cars carrying children under 18. Many schools and councils implement additional outdoor bans.
Health Stance
The New Zealand Ministry of Health position, supported by evidence reviews, states: Vaping is significantly less harmful than smoking but is not risk-free. It is promoted only as a complete substitute for adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke, to help them quit.
Purchasing
Buy only from approved retailers to ensure products meet NZ safety standards. Avoid unregulated imports or black-market purchases.
