Young volunteers find eight Northland stores selling vapes to minors

Vape shop operators have been urged to ask for ID and not sell to customers under 18. Photo / 123RF

Young volunteers testing vape sales across Northland exposed eight stores willing to sell to under-18s, a worrying result, say health authorities.

During controlled purchase operations (CPOs) in June across Whangārei and the Far North, local Health New Zealand smokefree enforcement officers visited 50 vape retailer outlets with trained volunteers aged 16. The operations resulted in eight sales.

A CPO is a compliance measure that ensures tobacco and vape retailers are actively checking their customers are 18 or over.

Tobacco and vape retailers caught selling tobacco or vape products to young people under 18 may receive an infringement fine of $2000. Repeat offenders may be prosecuted and fined up to $100,000 if convicted by the court.

“If young people don’t have ID, they must not be able to purchase cigarettes or vape products,” Jasmine Berryman, Health NZ kaitātaki health protection, Northern Region, says.

“We urge retailers to remain vigilant when it comes to checking ID for sales to young people. We advise retailers to continue checking ID for all tobacco and vape product sales to anyone who looks younger than 25 years of age, because controlled purchase operations are ongoing through the year.

“In addition, we remind specialist vape retailers (SVR) that under the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990, they must take all practicable steps to prevent those under 18s from even entering their approved vaping premise.”

As of last month, vaping devices, products, or packaging can no longer be visible in general retailers. Specialist vape retailers must not display these products in a way that makes them visible from outside the stores. The ban on disposable vaping devices also came into effect on June 17, 2025.

More information on the recent changes can be found on the Ministry of Health’s website.

Selling tobacco or vape products to under-18s is illegal. To report illegal sales online go to: info.health.nz/TellUs.