Nor'West News: May 12, 2022

10
Thursday May 12 2022
Board requests briefing over vape store rise
• By Emily Moorhouse
FRUSTRATION from residents
about vape stores opening in
Addington has prompted the
area’s community board to
investigate vaping restrictions.
The Waihoro Spreydon-Cashmere
Community Board has
requested a briefing on vaping
restrictions through smokefree
legislation.
Board member Callum Ward
was approached by resident Jo
Robertson, who is concerned
about the concentration of vape
stores in a small area like Addington.
Ward said the board hasn’t
formed a position on the issue
yet and is awaiting a briefing.
“We know that vaping does
have negative health consequences
and is no longer just a
replacement for smokers,” he
said.
Ward also mentioned the risk
of vaping undoing a lot of work
that’s being done in society to
prevent people from getting addicted
to nicotine, particularly
young people who go straight to
vaping.
Robertson, who is school
community liaison at Addington
School, said vaping is being
discussed among residents due
to an increase in vaping shops set
to open in the area.
She said there was already
two vape shops in Addington
and another one was going to be
opening soon, as well as dairys
selling vapes.
“It’s probably to do with the
proportion of kinds of shops that
are in the community,” Robertson
said.
“If you end up with a lot of
liquor stores, vape stores, it just
tips the balance of stores that are
bringing positive health-promoting
things into the community to
stores that are bringing kind of
health-constraining things.”
Robertson said she wants the
city council to talk about putting
regulations in place rather than
“just letting the market decide”.
“I think the community would
like to see things that are bringing
health and well-being into
our community,” she said.
The manager of Hoopers
CONCERN:
Addington
resident Jo
Robertson
said she
wants
the city
council to
have more
regulations
around
what kinds
of shops can
open in the
community.
Vapour in Addington, who
declined to be named, said he
had noticed a few different vape
shops in the area, something his
customers said wasn’t necessary.
The business has been operating
for roughly five years and
hasn’t received any complaints
from residents.
“I believe we are serving people
who want to quit smoking,” he
said. “What most non-smokers
or non-vapers don’t realise is that
people addicted to nicotine become
aggravated when they can’t
have it. It’s like having a morning
coffee.”
He said the business has
helped people quit smoking and
as the price of tobacco increases,
it was important to provide
an alternative.
INCREASE: New store Vape Crew on Lincoln Rd, while
Vape Planet, also on Lincoln Rd, is opening soon.
PHOTOS: STAR MEDIA
ADJUSTABLE MASSAGE BED
by