Principal: ‘No need’ for so many specialist vape shops in south Invercargill

Seven of Invercargill’s 10 specialist vape stores are located in south Invercargill, and a “concerned” school principal sees no need for so many.

Aurora College principal Craig Taylor said vaping was an issue at many schools around New Zealand, including Aurora, which has students as young as 12 vaping.

The habit has come under the spotlight as more kids are seen doing it, with concerns that the health effects are not yet fully known.

Taylor said the college, in south Invercargill, educated students about the potential hazards vaping could cause. But with the ready supply of vapes and the popularity of vaping, it was difficult to make a change.

A public list of approved specialist vape retailers in Invercargill shows seven of the 10 are in south Invercargill.

This was “concerning but unsurprising”, Taylor said.

“I do not see any need for seven in Invercargill, let alone south Invercargill. If vapes were more difficult to get, this would certainly help in our battle against vaping at Aurora College,”

He was disappointed there seemed to be no regulation regarding how many vape stores were in a community.

Life Education Trust Southland educator Teresa Wallace said vaping among youngsters was an issue in all parts of Southland, and not confined to any one area.

Southland children aged about 12 and over were taking up vaping, and it was addictive and could affect children’s learning and memories, she said.

A Ministry of Health spokesperson said it wanted to ensure adults who smoked cigarettes could switch to a less harmful and cheaper alternative, “while also protecting youth from vaping products”.

Specialist vaping retailers were required to stop under-18s from entering their premises.

Vaping was not harmless, but based on current evidence, was likely to be significantly less harmful than smoking tobacco, the ministry spokesperson said.

Specialist vaping retailers, which can sell the full range of flavours, must apply to the vaping regulatory authority for approval.

Provisions under the Smokefree Act, which came into effect on January 1, meant the vaping regulatory authority considered whether applications to open specialist vape stores were appropriate premises from which to operate.

“This consideration cannot take into account the location of other specialist vaping retailers, but under the incoming regulations it will take into account proximity to schools and marae.”

The Government shared concerns about increased vaping among young people and that more restrictions were needed to build on existing protections. The ministry would review the policy settings for vaping products later in 2023 and decide if changes were needed.

Fernworth Primary School principal Alison Cook said having seven specialist vape shops in south Invercargill was not ideal as it “normalised the habit”.

She believed kids were getting vapes from older family members, and not from the stores.

Of concern, many people saw vaping as socially acceptable for under 18s, Cook said.

A vape store owner in the area said it didn’t matter where the vape stores were located. If people wanted to buy the product, they would.

He said he did not sell to under 18s, and believed the density of vape stores in south Invercargill was less than in the big cities.

A vape store staff member said parents sometimes bought vapes for their children.

She added that all dairies and supermarkets sold cigarettes, and vaping had been introduced to get people off cigarettes.

”If they [kids] aren’t vaping they would be smoking. I don’t think either is good for them, but they will do it anyway.”

Southland Primary Principals Association vice president Wendy Ryan said kids were getting hooked on vaping and often acquired the product from older family members and online.

“Vaping was supposed to be about people getting off smoking, but most of these kids weren’t smoking in the first place, so that’s a problem. They don’t even know what’s in the stuff, which is a worry.”

Daniel Goodlet, store manager at the Brown St Dairy which has a specialist vape shop attached, said youngsters were attracted to vapes due to the different flavours and nice pictures.

He said he didn’t sell to under 18s, but buyers were from all walks of life.

“There’s definitely a big demand.”

The ministry spokesperson said general retailers, including corner dairies, could also sell vaping products, but only from the tobacco, mint and menthol flavours. From October 1, general retailers would have to tell the Director-General of Health they were selling vaping products.