Written by Enjie Shen
Smoking is the leading risk factor for non-communicable diseases in New Zealand, causing approximately 3,580 deaths each year (Drope & Hamill, 2025). Associate Health Minister Ayesha Verrall has observed that smoking is “the leading cause of preventable death in New Zealand and is responsible for a quarter of all cancers” (New Zealand Government, 2021).
Beyond its health toll, smoking imposes significant social, environmental, and economic burdens, including an estimated annual cost of NZD $3.6 billion and 270 tonnes of cigarette litter (Vital Strategies & Tobacconomics, 2024).
These factors demonstrate that from both economic and social perspectives, it is essential for the government to implement effective tobacco control policies.
New Zealand’s Smoke Free Generation Law – from Ambition to Repeal
In December 2022, New Zealand passed one of the world’s most ambitious tobacco control laws under the Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 Action Plan. It banned cigarette sales to anyone born after 1 January 2009, reduced nicotine content by 95 per cent, and cut tobacco retailers from 6000 to 600 (Radio New Zealand, 2024). The law was globally praised as bold and comprehensive.
However, just over a year later, the new coalition government led by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon repealed the law under urgency, bypassing public consultation (Sharma, 2024). Critics argued the repeal prioritised political and economic interests over public health (Corlett, 2024). Due to income and crime concerns, convenience store owners opposed the Smokefree law. Meanwhile, an investigation by Radio New Zealand revealed that British American Tobacco New Zealand and Imperial Brands covertly supported the “Save Our Stores” campaign (Corlett, 2024).
The repeal dismantled a globally recognised health policy. University of Otago researchers warned that it would cause thousands of preventable deaths, particularly among Māori (University of Otago, 2024). Health Coalition Aotearoa estimated the policy would have saved NZ$1.3 billion in health costs over two decades (Radio New Zealand, 2023).
From Smokefree Generation to Disposable Vape Ban
So has the Labour Party’s once-ambitious smokefree vision for New Zealand been abandoned halfway? That conclusion may be premature. Associate Health Minister Casey Costello has affirmed that the government’s reform efforts are still working toward the same goal (Radio New Zealand, 2025). On 17 June 2025, Costello stated the current coalition government is committed to addressing youth vaping by targeting retailers who sell disposable vapes to young people (New Zealand Government, 2025).
While the Smokefree Generation law sought structural change through long-term reform, the disposable vape ban is a move toward narrower, more reactive policymaking. By targeting a single product category, the government invites questions about whether a disposable vape ban can truly replace comprehensive tobacco control (Radio New Zealand, 2025).
The Rationale and Strengths of the Disposable Vape Ban
The disposable vape ban is not without rationale; it directly addresses critical issues in vape control. According to the Ministry of Education, 1,945 students were temporarily suspended for vaping in 2023 (Borissenko, 2024). Additionally, 10.5 per cent of those aged 15 to 17 vape daily (Dirga, 2025).To address this, the ban introduces significant penalties, including fines of up to $400,000 for major retailers, and limits how vape products are presented in stores (New Zealand Government, 2025). These visibility restrictions reduce the appeal of vapes to younger audiences. Vape Free Kids NZ spokesperson Tammy Downer noted that manufacturers frequently use bright packaging and subtle marketing tactics to attract children (Borissenko, 2024).
Environmental risks provide another strong justification. Evidence shows that vaping products have worsened New Zealand’s waste stream. In Auckland alone, 132 vapes were found in just 575 roadside bins (Bhetuwal & Bullen, 2025). These devices’ plastic casings, e-liquid residue, and lithium batteries pose long-term environmental hazards. Banning disposable vapes addresses these key issues, helping to protect ecosystems and long-term public well-being (Bhetuwal & Bullen, 2025).
Overall, the disposable vape ban represents a targeted and justified measure to reduce youth vaping through enforceable controls and protect the environment from vape-related waste.
Gaps and Limitations of the Disposable Vape Ban
Despite its strengths, the ban is not without limitations, There are some significant gaps and limitations in policy coverage and it lacks sufficient strength to fully meet New Zealand’s smokefree goals.
The ban applies only to disposable vapes and excludes rechargeable and replaceable-pod devices. This means the restriction addresses just the tip of the iceberg. While the low cost of disposable vapes is a major factor attracting young users, manufacturers can easily respond by releasing cheaper reusable alternatives. Additionally, removing one of the most accessible cigarette alternatives may increase the risk of consumers returning to traditional smoking (Dirga, 2025).
The gap between the policy’s goals and its practical implementation reveals the enforcement challenges. Manufacturers may look for ways to circumvent the disposable vape ban. The Vaping Industry Association of New Zealand (VIANZ) has warned that without stronger enforcement and regulation, some vape sales may shift to underground illegal trading (Ministry of Health, 2024).
Restoring the Strategic Vision Behind Smokefree Aotearoa
While the disposable vape ban addresses urgent concerns, it falls short of the long-term, systemic change once promised by the Smokefree Generation law. One offered structural reform; the other delivered targeted regulation. New Zealand’s challenge is balancing immediate action with a broader vision.
To realign with the Smokefree Aotearoa vision, tobacco control must build on the disposable vape ban while addressing its limitations. Regulation should cover all vaping devices and close loopholes that enable “store-within-a-store” models and other practices to escape oversight (VIANZ, 2023). Weak enforcement and low penalties have weakened the system. VIANZ urges the government to use the $3 million collected annually in licensing fees to improve compliance checks and to raise fines to $10,000 for violations (VIANZ, 2023). Addressing black market risks and oversight failures requires stronger regulations and incentives for legitimate retailers to transition to smoke-free alternatives.
Ultimately, future policies must combine a long-term vision with stricter and more comprehensive regulatory measures to restore the momentum lost after repealing the Smokefree Generation law.
References
Drope, J., & Hamill, S. (Eds.). (2025). Country profile: New Zealand. In The Tobacco Atlas. Vital Strategies and Economics for Health. https://tobaccoatlas.org/factsheets/new-zealand/
New Zealand Government. (2021, December 9). Historic step towards smokefree future. https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/historic-step-towards-smokefree-future
Radio New Zealand. (2024, February 27). Smokefree generation law scrapped by coalition government. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/510439/smokefree-generation-law-scrapped-by-coalition-government
Sharma, S. (2024, February 27). New Zealand repeals world-first smoking ban passed by Jacinda Ardern. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/new-zealand-repeals-smoking-ban-b2503024.html
Corlett, E. (2024, April 19). How New Zealand’s smoking ban got stubbed out – and what the UK can learn from it. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/19/new-zealand-smoking-ban-what-uk-can-learn
University of Otago. (2024, February 27). Repeal of smokefree laws means thousands will die, researchers warn. https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/repeal-of-smokefree-laws-means-thousands-will-die%2C-researchers-warn
Radio New Zealand. (2023, November 25). Smokefree law changes a ‘completely backwards step’ – health experts. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/503241/smokefree-law-changes-a-completely-backwards-step-health-experts
Borissenko, S. (2024, February 27). ‘Kids are doing this everywhere’: New Zealand wrestles with rise of primary school vaping. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/28/new-zealand-vaping-primary-school-students-nz-vapes-children
Dirga, N. (2025, June 16). Disposable vape ban and strict advertising rules begin – What you need to know. RNZ. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/564255/disposable-vape-ban-and-strict-advertising-rules-begin-what-you-need-to-know
New Zealand Government. (2025, June 17). Vapes stores go dark, disposable vapes banned. https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/vapes-stores-go-dark-disposable-vapes-banned
Bhetuwal, A., & Bullen, C. (2025, May 28). Disposable vapes: An emerging environmental health threat. Public Health Communication Centre Aotearoa. https://www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/disposable-vapes-emerging-environmental-health-threat
Ministry of Health. (2024, April). AM meeting with Vaping Industry Association New Zealand (VIANZ) [Aide-mémoire H2024038458]. https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/2024-09/H2024038458%20AM%20Meeting%20with%20Vaping%20Industry%20Association%20New%20Zealand%20%28VIANZ%29_0.pdf
Vaping Industry Association of NZ. (2023, July 20). Government has enabled the proliferation of store-within-a-store vape retailers. Scoop. https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU2307/S00252/government-has-enabled-the-proliferation-of-store-within-a-store-vape-retailers.htm
