Gisborne District Council Leads the Way in Tackling Vape Harm

On 31 July, the Gisborne District Council took a bold step by revising its Smokefree Outdoor Areas Policy to include vaping. This move has been applauded by public health advocates across the motu as the country grapples with a rapidly escalating vape crisis. The change comes as a recent survey showed that in Tairāwhiti alone, over 50% of school students had tried vaping at least once in 2023 [1]. Vaping rates are surging nationwide and with growing evidence of nicotine addiction along with the normalisation of vape culture in everyday spaces, local leadership is more important than ever.

“By expanding their Smokefree policy to cover vaping, Gisborne District Council has sent a clear message: public spaces should support health, not harm,” said Jasmine Graham, Māori Public Health Manager at Hāpai Te Hauora.

The updated policy applies to parks, playgrounds, sports fields, and other designated Smokefree spaces, helping to reduce visibility and social acceptability of vaping. Public health experts are now calling on other local councils across Aotearoa to follow Gisborne’s lead.

“This is a moment for councils across Aotearoa to seriously consider adopting the same approach to build on this momentum,” says Jasmine Graham. “Policies like this are steps in the right direction that show we are aware of the growing trend of vape and that we want to bring change now.”

By implementing vapefree outdoor policies, councils can play a vital role in reversing the current trajectory of vaping amongst rangatahi and people who have never smoked in Aotearoa.