Abstract
Background: New Zealand and other countries have introduced or are considering various restrictions on the sale and use of vaping devices and liquids used in vaping and smokeless tobacco products. This research aimed to assess the likely reactions of individuals who vape to proposed restrictions in New Zealand. Methods: A vape expo, a social and commercial weekend convention, provides convenient access to individuals with a strong interest in and or experience in vaping. A street intercept approach was used to survey attendees at a vape expo for adults aged 18 and over in Auckland, New Zealand in December 2019. Results: This research suggests restricting the sale of liquid flavours may have negative unintended consequences. 57% of respondents indicated they would circumvent a ban on popular liquid flavours by mixing their own and/or buying liquids from overseas or the black market. Over a third (36%) would likely be restricted in their choice of a low-risk substitute for tobacco smoking if products such as snus and oral nicotine pouches were banned. A further 36% had heard of these options but were currently not using them. Other results are in the areas of smoking behaviour, cannabis use, and responses to cannabis legalisation. Conclusions: Various legislative or policy initiatives proposed to regulate vaping may have unanticipated negative consequences for public health. The negative impacts are likely to be disproportional for groups with higher smoking prevalence such as Indigenous peoples, rural communities, and lower socioeconomic groups.
Highlights
A vape exposition is both a social and commercial event
Previous research in New Zealand (NZ) found that people who smoked and vaped tended to be newer to vaping, and that with time people progressively moved from tobacco and menthol flavoured vape liquids to other flavours (Truman et al, 2018) suggesting that the availability of a range of non-tobacco smoke flavours are important to the success of vaping as a substitute for smoking
Almost all (90%) of the respondents who had vaped cannabinoids had done so in NZ, where smoking cannabis is not legal. These results suggest that, for NZ residents who are familiar with vaping, (a) quite a few would become new users if vaping cannabinoid liquids was legal and (b) some could have been exposed to lung injury had the NZ black market been infiltrated by the harmful products that caused the USA outbreak
Summary
A vape exposition is both a social and commercial event. A vape expo provides an opportunity for people who vape (uset electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) primarily with nicotine-containing liquids), and those considering vaping, to socialize over their shared interest, learn from one another and from vendors; sample and buy products. An estimated 98 million people around the world have stopped smoking tobacco by switching to low and reduced-risk alternatives such as vaping, oral nicotine pouches, snus (tobacco pouches for oral use) and tobacco heating products (Knowledge-Action-Change (KAC), 2020). Despite this global trend, many governments have introduced restrictions and bans to limit this evolution (KAC, 2020). New Zealand and other countries have introduced or are considering various restrictions on the sale and use of vaping devices and liquids used in vaping and smokeless tobacco products. The negative impacts are likely to be disproportional for groups with higher smoking prevalence such as Indigenous peoples, rural communities, and lower socioeconomic groups
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