Reformed smokers open CHB vaping shop Vamps Vapours

Vicky Shaw (left) is the store manager and Hine Hemi the owner of new shop Vamps Vapours in Waipawa. Photo/Warren Buckland

Two mums who are both reformed smokers have opened Central Hawke's Bay's first vaping shop.

Owner-operator Hine Hemi and store manager Vicky Shaw are the two main forces behind Vamps Vapours, which opened at Centre Court in Waipawa, near the district library, on Tuesday.

Hemi joked she might have left it a bit late to "jump on the gravy train" and "make her millions" out of vaping, which has exploded in popularity in recent years. However the 43-year-old was certain there was a strong demand for a vaping shop in CHB.

"Vaping is a culture now and it is only getting stronger. It's really taken off," said Hemi, who smoked for 15 years before the birth of her 9-year old-daughter.

Until now, the closest vaping shops were in Palmerston North and Hastings, she said.
"This leaves people from Dannevirke, Waipukurau, Waipawa, Otane and all surrounding rural areas unable to just pop in to grab an e-juice," said Hemi.

Used by a growing number of people as a substitute for traditional cigarettes and other tobacco products, vaping involves people using vaporisers and e-cigarettes to inhale or "vape" e-liquids, also known as e-juices, which are made by mixing different flavours with liquid nicotine of varying strength.

Store manager Vicky Shaw, a 31-year-old married mother of four young boys, said she swapped from cigarettes to vaping a year ago "with no regrets".

"I had terrible asthma when I used to smoke. Eleven months later not only has my asthma decreased significantly but I have saved so much money. I have gone from approximately $100 a week to less than that a month."

Though more affordable than heavily taxed cigarettes and other tobacco products, there have been no long-term studies on the health effects of e-cigarettes and e-liquids.

At the moment the products fall into a gap in current legislation, which means their sale is neither banned nor allowed. But after announcing it would be making both legal, the Government is working on new legislation to regulate the sale of the products. Hemi said it was a welcome development.

"I do look forward to having our own legislation specific to vaping. I believe that vaping has merit within a harm-reduction model," said Hemi, who had discussed the impending opening of her store with various agencies in CHB and received "nothing but positive feedback".

Until the new legislation is passed, Hemi's store is governed by the Medicines Act 1981 and the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990, which restricts sales to people aged 18 and over, much the same as outlets that sell tobacco.

She said getting up to speed with the laws before opening her first-ever business premises had required "lots and lots of reading".

"I've had lots of people helping and guiding me, but basically it was a matter of sitting down with a lawyer and getting them to explain it to me in layman's terms."

Both women are involved in their communities and said they hoped to get some support from locals.

"For us we are local people, for local people. Obviously we are hoping to make some money but we want to offer the whole experience. We will have a lounge area where people can come in and have a chat so they know the pros and cons and leave here learned, so we can help them move forward as far as their vaping goes," she said.