2020年7月27日

新西兰电子烟贸易协会（VTANZ）发言人乔纳森·德韦里（Jonathan Devery）表示：“KIWI拥有的电子烟业务令政府感到失望，因为政府正忙于通过选举中的电子烟立法，而当地行业仍完全不了解相关法规。”

“就该法案而言，该法规将在获得皇家批准后几个月生效。但是，令人震惊的是，业界仍然不了解许多拟议法规的细节。我们绝对致力于确保我们所有的产品和实践都得到遵守，但是当不确定性仍然很大时，这将非常困难。”

在众议院恢复大选前的最后三周会议后，未来几天将对《无烟环境和管制产品（出口）修正法案》的最后阶段进行辩论。

电子烟行业多年来一直在寻求法规

同样，奥特亚罗瓦电子烟社区倡导组织（AVCA）的联合主任和亚太地区减少烟草危害倡导者联盟（CAPHRA）的执行协调员南希·卢卡斯（Nancy Loucas）最近指出，与其在过去几天内匆忙提出该法案，不如地方大选之后，该法案的复杂性应在以后进行讨论。 “多年来，我们一直在呼吁立法，并且认为现在可以在紧急状态下匆匆通过立法是完全不能接受的。可悲的是，唯一的赢家将是跨国公司的股东。”她说。

“鉴于时间很短，选举后议会应该做正确的事情并辩论该法案。然后，国会议员将有新的任务授权，并将更加专注于处理拟议法规带来的许多复杂问题。”

新西兰电子烟贸易协会现在呼吁卫生部副部长詹妮·塞拉（Jenny Salesa）向KIWI行业澄清政府的监管程序及其与行业的协商，同时确保建议的时间表可行。与卢卡斯女士的评论一致，德韦里指出，对于业界期待已久的法规正在急需考虑，而这太令人沮丧了。

“电子烟行业一直在要求监管五年，因此令法案立即紧急通过的所有法规都强加给我们，这令人非常失望。这对任何企业来说都是不公平的。例如，为了确保最佳的产品标准，政府官员需要在法规方面与行业紧密合作。仓促的立法没有制定好的法律！它不应仓促通过，而应由下一届国会在选举后和认真合作之后保持冷静。

建议的法案修订

贸易协会还提到了议员尼克·瓦格纳（Nicky Wagner）的两份来文。这些补充命令文件（SOP）中的一项将解除对口服无烟尼古丁小袋的禁令，另一项将允许从电子烟产品中获得至少50％（而非70％）营业额的企业电子烟零售商状态。

“我们期待对这两项修正案进行辩论，但我们也希望有更多实质性的改变。理想情况下，这将包括增加允许一般零售商销售的电子烟口味的数量-超出提议的三种-” 德韦里总结道。

NZ Health Minister Urged to Clarify E-Cig Bill Regulatory Process

July 27, 2020

“Kiwi-owned vape businesses are disappointed the Government is rushing through its vaping legislation in time for the election campaign, while the local industry remains completely in the dark over the regulations,” said VTANZ spokesperson Jonathan Devery.

“As the bill stands, the regulations will take effect a few months after its given Royal Assent. However, alarmingly the industry still doesn’t know any detail around the many proposed regulations. We are absolutely committed to ensuring all our products and practices comply, but it’s difficult when there remains so much uncertainty,” he added.

His comments come as the final stages of the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Vaping) Amendment Bill will be debated in the coming days, after the House resumes for its final three-week session before the General Election.

The vaping industry has been asking for regulations for years

Similarly, co-director of the Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocacy (AVCA) and executive coordinator of the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) Nancy Loucas, has recently pointed out that rather than rushing the bill in the last few days leading to the local General Election, the bill’s complexities should be discussed afterwards. “We’ve been calling for legislation for years, and to think it could now be rushed through under Urgency is completely unacceptable. Sadly, the only winners will be the shareholders of multinational corporations,” she said.

“Given time is now short, Parliament should do the right thing and debate the bill after the election. Then MPs will have a fresh mandate and be more focused to deal with the many complex issues the proposed regulation brings.”

VTANZ is now calling on Associate Health Minister Jenny Salesa to provide clarity to the Kiwi vape industry on the Government’s regulatory process and its promised consultation with industry, whilst ensuring that the proposed timelines are workable. In line with Ms Loucas’s comments, Devery pointed out how frustrating it is for the industry that the long awaited regulations are now being rushed with much too little consideration.

“The vaping industry has been calling for regulation for five years, so it’s hugely disappointing that the bill is now set to be passed under urgency, with all the regulations then foisted upon us. That’s really unfair on any business. To ensure the best product standards, for example, Government officials need to work closely with industry on the regulations. Rushed legislation does not make good law! It should not be passed in haste, but by the next Parliament with cool heads after the election and after some serious collaboration.”

Suggested bill amendments

VTANZ also referred to two submissions made by MP Nicky Wagner. One of these Supplementary Order Papers (SOPs) would lift the ban on oral tobacco-free nicotine pouches, and the other would allow businesses that receive at least 50% (not 70%) of their turnover from vaping products, to be allowed the specialist vape retailer status.

“We look forward to these two amendments being debated, but we’re also hoping for more substantive changes. Ideally, these would include increasing the number of vape flavours – beyond the proposed three – that general retailers are permitted to sell,” concluded Devery.