(photo from Vape Free Kids)
If the government, now or future, needed any more reason to put vapes into pharmacies, with plain packaging this is it.
Due to major concern about health risks of vapes the US FDA states it does not recommend their use even as a means to stop tobacco smoking.
The American Cancer Society published the sobering documents below, restating much in the lung.org link in the petition
but importantly stating in bold capitals in their position statement 'E-cigarettes should not be used to quit smoking'! due to clear risks and alternative options.
This calls into question the premise for the NZ policy of encouraging vaping, even for tobacco smokers, and further for treating vaping as something so harmless that thousands of dairies are licenced to sell vapes and at least 600 specialist vape stores supported to remain in our communities, as the latest policy of the current government does.
(Note: the other parties are not stating clear position statements yet.)
It shows the government should be robustly supporting alternative modes of quitting, and further justifies at least shifting vapes into pharmacies.
The above includes the FDA statement that it does not approve e-cigarettes as a means of stopping and refers to a 'large body of evidence clearly showing that FDA-approved medications are a safe and effective ways to help people quit smoking, especially when combined with counselling'.
The ACS 'position statement' is even more forceful:
The photo shows how we treat vaping in NZ -
(The excellent Vape Free Kids group posted this picture of a Glen Innes vape shop on their facebook page.)
This demonstrates well how vape shops are embedded in our community and look as if they are marketing something totally fine, maybe for adults but definitely acceptable for people to consume...
The sports drink Prime is apparently much liked by kids.. The parent who posted this said her son 'like every other boy was obsessed with Prime' and this was a clear attraction for children.