Vaping in smokefree spaces under scrutiny
Vaping as well as smoking could be banned when the Palmerston North City Council renews its smokefree outdoor areas policy.
The proposed inclusion of vaping has been welcomed by the Cancer Society, but slammed by the Vaping Trade Association.
Cancer Society community health advocate Kerry Hocquard told the council’s planning and strategy committee last week that she supported the ban so vaping did not come to be seen as normal.
‘‘It minimises role modelling of vaping to children and lessens the risk that they see vaping as a cool recreational behaviour.’’
She said although vaping might be less harmful than smoking cigarettes, the long-term health effects were unclear and it could still damage lungs.
Vaping Trade Association spokesman Jonathan Devery, however, said confusing vaping with smoking hindered efforts to reduce tobacco use.
‘‘By treating smoking and vaping the same, Palmerston North City Council is not being very clever.
‘It’s simply banishing the best tool to eliminate the dangers of tobacco from the community."
Enabling vaping rather than demonising it would help more tobacco smokers to quit.
He said there was no evidence young people were taking up vaping in large numbers, or that there were risks from secondhand vapour.
Devery commended the Hamilton City Council’s approach, which allows vaping in smokefree areas.
Whanganui and Hauraki were among authorities that allow vaping.
The committee has recommended putting the smokefree and vapefree proposal out for public consultation.
The proposal would also cover marijuana smoking.
Council strategy and policy manager Julie Macdonald said the smokefree policy relied on voluntary compliance, because smoking in public places was legal.
She said a council survey had shown there was community support for including vaping in the policy.
Public consultation is expected to run from July 4 until July 31.
Devery said it was time for health experts and vaping advocates to have their say on the value of allowing vaping as a less harmful alternative to smoking that would help New Zealand meet its Smokefree 2025 target.