West Auckland parents have protested the opening of a new vape store that's metres away from their school, labelling it a "horrifying" addition to the community.
The parents at Parakai School have said that vaping is a growing concern for their children's health and that the store is sending the wrong message to students.
The new store is about 450m from the nearby school's main gate, however, the shop is mere metres from the back gate — which many students use.
Principal Yolanda Choromanski also expressed her dismay at the situation.
"Imagine stepping out of school, standing here to cross the road to come to school, and right next to you is a vape shop."
School board member Tammy Downer added: "I think most people would say here they were just horrified and aghast."
Health Minister Ayesha Verrall condemned the opening of any store close to a school as "morally reprehensible" and said that the community was right to be disappointed.
Advocacy group Vape-Free Kids NZ spokesperson Marnie Wilton suggested the store was one of many trying to set up close to schools before regulation blocks them.
The new regulations, which are yet to be finalised by the Government, would require specialist vape stores to be at least 300m away from schools and marae.
However, Wilton said that this would not be enough to protect children from vaping, as stores like dairies, supermarkets, and petrol stations would still be able to sell vapes.
The owner of the new Parakai store said he was taking the parents' concerns seriously.
He told 1News that he had tweaked his signage and obscured his products from view.
Tammy Downer says she is “extremely” concerned about the close proximity of the new store to Parakai School. (Source: 1News)
Meanwhile, the Vaping Industry Association said that it was supportive of the new rules around distances to schools and that specialist vape stores were strictly R-18 environments.
It also denied that there was any evidence of retailers rushing to open stores before the regulations kicked in.
In June, the Government announced that it would be cracking down on vapes, banning most disposable vapes, removing the alluring names on vape flavours and not allowing new stores to be set up within 300m of a school or marae.
A Ministry of Health spokesperson told 1News earlier today: "The amended regulations are expected to be published in August 2023.
"Once the Cabinet decision is made, we will provide further detail around the new requirements, including information on implementation timelines and the requirements for regulated parties.
"We're keen to enact the regulations in a timely manner, and this includes the proximity rule which prohibits new specialist vape retailers from starting to operate near schools and marae."
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