Far North Council approves smokefree policy amid vaping health concerns

NZ Herald

08-05-2025

More than 50 other local councils last year had policies that designated council areas as smoke and vape-free.
Far North Mayor Moko Tepania said he gave up vaping after seeing the item on the agenda, joking: 'that is why I am a bit grumpy sometimes.'
He said he is fully behind the motion and encouraged other council members to lead by example.
'We are late to the party, our cousin councils already put stuff like this on the line and it only makes sense to have a policy like this.'
Tepania wanted the council to lead by example.
'Like I would like our staff to stop smoking and vaping in front of our offices and use the smoke shed in the back,' he said.
'It's important if we are going to be regulators of a smokefree/vapefree policy.'
The Far North District Council's policy would allow it to designate council-owned or administered public spaces as smokefree and to ensure signage identified the areas, as well as commit to partnering with relevant stakeholders to promote the areas.
Council's group manager for planning and policy Roger Ackers said council is considering at today's meeting the staff recommendation to create a standalone smokefree/vape-free policy for the Far North.
He said if the recommendation goes ahead, then council staff would engage with Health NZ Te Whatu Ora, other organisations, and the wider community to design the policy and look into costs and logistics.
A draft policy and an implementation plan would then be presented to the council for consultation and adoption.
A research report which investigates developing a smokefree/vape-free policy for the Far North stated the socio-demographic make-up of the district presented unique challenges for the population in relation to smoking and vaping.
'Smoking rates are higher in the Far North than nationally,' the report said.
'In the 2023 Census, 13% of those aged 15 or more from the Far North said they smoked tobacco regularly compared with 8% nationally.'
The report said a smokefree/vape-free policy may potentially impact all community members as well as visitors who may be exposed to second-hand tobacco and vape smoke in public places owned or administered by the council.
'A standalone non-regulatory policy will align with the approach of other Northland local councils and with other councils across New Zealand.
'It will provide clear guidance regarding council-owned and administered areas where smoking is discouraged,' the report said.
The council's decision to consider a vaping/smoking policy comes as a recent study published in the Nicotine and Tobacco Research Journal has for the first time linked vaping to a life-limiting and irreversible lung disease.
The study found e-cigarette use is strongly associated with increased new diagnoses of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in New Zealand.
Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ chief executive Letitia Harding said the study confirmed what was long suspected, that vaping was not just risky, it was dangerous to people's health.
'For years, we've been gaslighted into believing vaping is harmless – or at least 'less harmful' than cigarettes – meanwhile, we've watched teen vaping rates skyrocket," Harding said.
'Vaping is not harmless – it never has been – and this study shows it causes long-term irreversible lung damage.'
Harding said the study, which tracked 250,000 people over about three-and-a-half years, should be a significant wake-up call to the Government to tighten regulations even further.
'Let's stop pretending we're balancing harm reduction with consumer freedom - vaping isn't harm reduction, it's harm transfer.'
Director of health promotion at Te Whatu Ora, Kathrine Clarke said they remain committed to addressing vaping, particularly youth vaping nationally.
'[We] are running a number of campaigns and initiatives to support youth to remain smokefree and vapefree.'