The Vaping Kiwi Bring AVCA Response to ARFNZ Press Release to Your Attention

The Aotearoa Vape Community Advocacy or AVCA recently responded to the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation of New Zealand or ARFNZ, regarding a press release they published in November this year, saying that vaping products should be classified as therapeutic devices and therefore regulated through the Therapeutic Goods Administrataion (TGA). In other words, say AVCA, they only want companies that have the funds to go through the regulatory process.

It reads as if they consider e-cigarettes as a medical product, and if not a medical product, they must be tobacco product. AVCA say atomisers don’t contain any tobacco, nor do mod batteries or e-liquid. Similarly, studies in the UK have disproven the theory that vaping leads to re-normalisation of smoking, inducing youths to smoke themselves. Studies in the UK show that smoking rates have reduced dramatically since the promotion of e-cigarettes, and the availability of the same items in the US where smoking rates have also shown the same level of dropoff.

The Thoracic Society claims that vaping products are likely to be harmful to lungs, but AVCA says that ten years of science shows that they are an effective ‘tobacco harm reduction tool’.  In response to the claim that there are already many alternatives available to assist smokers to quit, AVCA responds that these have failed and failed miserably.

Replying to the accusation that the vaping community was unregulated, the majority of the independent vape industry in New Zealand is on the whole self-regulating by choice, and the New Zealand consumers applaud those that are part of the self regulation scheme as it shows their professionalism and respect for the vaping community. It goes on to say that the majority of New Zealanders have found this technology without the assistance of health professionals.

What AVCA would like to see is less conjecture from the medical community and more objectivity, acceptance of evidence based science and engagement with the people who have actually utilised the technology to switch from combustibles.

For more information on e-cigarettes, vape mods and e-liquids NZ please go to thevapingkiwi.co.nz .