Up at vapes

‘It communicates the impression that cutting down on smoking may be a good thing rather than giving up smoking completely.’ JANET HOEK

and I think that’s highly problematic. It communicates the impression that cutting down on smoking may be a good thing rather than giving up smoking completely.’’

Hoek said the use of social media influencers promoting the products can have more negative effects as it could be introducing vaping to someone who never smoked.

‘‘Only about 20 per cent of young people actually smoke. So using these sorts of role models is a really clever way of reaching the 80 per cent who don’t smoke. There’s a very high risk that using these role models is going to position these brands as being appealing to young people in general rather than to smokers who are the people that could potentially benefit if they make a complete transition from smoking to vaping.’’

A BAT NZ spokesman said social media influencers were recruited through an agency and promotion of their product was responsible and managed through strict guidelines.

‘‘We have to acknowledge that social media is a huge channel and if we’re going to transform tobacco and make adult smokers aware of these new products we need to communicate via the channels that they are using.’’

It said the product was only marketed to adult consumers and they only used influencers who are over the age of 25. After Sunday News made the company aware Liddell was aged 24, they said she had been recruited through an agency.

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Although vapes contain no tobacco, the Ministry of Health states that the same restrictions do apply to vaping products under the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990, which is expected to be amended with stricter standards for vaping this year.

The BAT spokesman said they were confident the advertising was within the law.

In 2018 the Advertising Standards Authority released a guidance note for influencers after some came under fire for not accurately displaying they were being paid for posting about brands.