Media Release: E-cigarette regulations should keep up with emerging science and tech
Wellington (29 March 2017): Today’s announcement that the Government proposes to legalise nicotine e-cigarettes is welcomed by The New Zealand Initiative.
The Initiative’s research into e-cigarettes has found that some public health studies were not only making false scientific claims, but were doing more harm than good by discouraging smokers to make the switch to a less harmful product.
Policy Analyst Jenesa Jeram says “There is no doubt that today’s announcement on e-cigarettes is a win for smokers across the country who have struggled to quit using the traditional cessation tools.
Of course, the devil is in the policy detail, and it is still possible that over-regulating the product could negate all the good work done in legalising the product. But in the meantime, we should not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.”
“Overall, the Government’s approach is a very pragmatic one. As The New Zealand Initiative recommended, any regulatory framework should be flexible enough to accommodate shifts in the science and advances in the development of new technologies.”
The New Zealand Initiative’s submission on e-cigarettes is available on our website.
ENDS
For further comment please contact:
Media contact
Simone White, Communications Officer
The New Zealand Initiative
Phone: +64 4 494 9109
Mobile: +64 21 2937 250
Email: simone.white@nzinitiative.org.nz