In this article published in the New Zealand Medical Journal, researchers examine the online sales and marketing of e-cigarettes in New Zealand and look at the presence of safeguards to protect children from experimentation and uptake.
The study is the first to analyse the online marketing of e-cigarettes in New Zealand.
Researchers found:
- There is little or no protection for children and young people from the online marketing by New Zealand vape businesses.
- Only 10% of the 59 websites for NZ vape businesses that were examined, required age proof before the purchase of vaping products.
- A majority of the websites had no detectable health warnings, and only 25% mentioned nicotine addiction.
The article’s lead author Nivy Gurram says online retailers are failing to provide adequate health information for consumers, and to prevent children and young people accessing their websites.
Another author of the study, Associate Professor George Thomson from the University’s Department of Public Health, says the government is failing to enforce legislation which it says prohibits the sale and supply of nicotine ‘vaping products that are manufactured from tobacco’ to those under 18.
The research paper, “Electronic cigarette online marketing by New Zealand vendors” is published in the New Zealand Medical Journal. A PDF is available on request to george.thomson@otago.aco.nz
For further information contact:
Associate Professor George Thomson
Department of Public Health
University of Otago, Wellington