Parents are concerned about vape shops opening near schools. Photo: Unsplash
Parents and teachers in the Wellington suburb of Strathmore are outraged a vape retailer is set to open near a bus hub that gets their children to and from school each day.
It has sparked concern that vape shops are rushing to open new locations ahead of a ban limiting their proximity to schools and marae from August.
A Shosha vape store was scheduled to open in Strathmore shops next month between the dairy and bakery where local students converged to buy their snacks and wait for buses.
The shop would be one street away from the boundary fence of Scots College and was opening just weeks ahead of the ban on new vape outlets within 300 metres of schools.
"It infuriates me because they're cashing in on these young, vulnerable children" - parent Jodi O'Regan
Strathmore parent Jodi O'Regan said she was disgusted by the timing and the location of the store.
"It infuriates me because they're cashing in on these young, vulnerable children that think it's cool to vape.
"It's a big marketing ploy. The kids try it and before they know it, they're hooked on it because it's nicotine and it's addictive."
Selling vapes to under-18s was illegal but that was not stopping nearly 20 percent of year 10 students who admitted to vaping regularly in last year's ASH smoking and vaping snapshot survey.
Emma Clifton Perry's child attended school near the upcoming store. She said the positioning of the Strathmore store was disingenuous at best.
"If you genuinely are targeting adults why are you choosing a location where the majority of the foot traffic is under 18?
"Why aren't you choosing a retail location, like [nearby] Miramar shopping centre or any other shopping centre, where the majority of your foot traffic would be adult?"
Kahurangi School was well within 300 metres of the Strathmore shops.
Principal Kyran Smith said she was unaware of her primary age students vaping in or around her school but she felt the presence of the store significantly increased the risk.
She was disappointed there had been no consultation from Shosha before they set up in her community.
"Our community does not want their presence here. At this school and community we're really focussed on doing what's right for our tamariki and we believe that their store will actually [do] the exact opposite."
Wellington City Councillor Teri O'Neill described the positioning of the Strathmore store as predatory and said the move was not unique to Strathmore.
"We've certainly seen a significant uptake in Shosha and specialist vaping stores pop up all over the city.
"Had legislation been a bit quicker we wouldn't be having this problem where a vape shop is well within 300 metres of school premises."
Councillor Sarah Free said, even ahead of the law change, a specialist vape store so close to a school zone contradicted the spirit of the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Amendment Act.
"The act does make it clear that they're not meant to open in places where they normalise vaping to young people.
"This location in Strathmore is right by the bus stop where most of the kids actually catch the bus, in close proximity to a least three schools. I can't see what that is if not normalising vaping."
O'Neill said she would like to see a similar process as alcohol licensing where stores engaged with community and authorities to approve vape and tobacco retail locations.
Shosha and The Vaping Industry Association of New Zealand have been approached for comment.