Vapers rejoice - Whanganui now has two vape stores

Shosha manager Atul Berry with some of the vast array of supplies on offer at the new Whanganui shop. Photo / Bevan Conley

Smokers ditching tobacco and turning to safer alternatives such as vaping can now find supplies at a new outlet in Whanganui.

Shosha, on Victoria Ave, offers a mind-boggling array of pipes, E-cigarettes, oils and accessories.

The Whanganui outlet is one of 40 New Zealand stores and manager Atul Berry says the company is responding to the rapidly growing demand for tobacco alternatives.

"We started in Hamilton around four years ago and the demand for our products has grown a lot in that time.

"People come in and tell us they want to quit smoking and they can try the different alternatives we have on offer before they buy something."

Whanganui's first speciality vape shop, TMC (The Mushroom Cloud), opened further along the avenue in May last year.

Manager Jess Vlaanderen said she has not seen a drop-off in business since Shosha opened two weeks ago.

"I think they will have a different customer base because we don't sell the same products.

"Our E-liquids are made in Taranaki and we have loyal customers."

Lawrence Coe founded The Mushroom Cloud Ltd after developing his own E-liquids to ease himself off tobacco.

"I was a smoker for 10 years before discovering electronic cigarettes (aka vaping) after trying a multitude of 'cessation aids'.

"I started this NZ-based vape company after helping heaps of people in my personal life make the switch from traditional cigarettes and figured I could use my knowledge and expertise to assist more people in a professional capacity."

Vlaanderen says the home-based company's online sales were so successful that "bricks and mortar" were needed.

TMC also has shops in New Plymouth, Hawera, Palmerston North and recently opened one in Taupo.

The Ministry of Health's position is that vaping products have the potential to make a contribution to reducing the number of smokers in New Zealand.

Smokers who want to use vaping products to quit smoking are encouraged by the Ministry to seek the support of local stop smoking services.

Vlaanderen says TMC is working with the Whanganui District Health Board and the Whanganui Stop Smoking Service to help tobacco smokers quit.