10. Question No. 10—HealthDAVID SEYMOUR (Leader—ACT) to the Associate Minister of HealthQuestion No. 10—Health10. DAVID SEYMOUR (Leader—ACT) to the Associate Minister of Health: Why did she tell Newshub that she was about to introduce vaping legislation that will ban most flavours" and when will she introduce that legislation?Hon JENNY SALESA (Associate Minister of Health): Currently vaping products and e-cigarettes are entirely unregulated here. Our communities including parents schools and principals have expressed concern that these nicotine products are being marketed directly and sold to our children and young people. Cabinet has previously agreed on amendments to the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990 that strike a balance between adults who want to stop smoking while ensuring that they aren't marketed and sold to our children. This includes the ability to restrict flavours that attract children and young people to vaping. We're working through some final minor and technical issues. However it is still my intention to introduce this bill to the House shortly. David Seymour: Had she listened to those parents teachers and principals when she said on 9 June this year "Some people worry that vaping might be a 'gateway' to smoking for young people but there is no clear evidence for this."? Hon JENNY SALESA: We know from evidence that vaping is very effective especially for adult smokers to switch from smoking to non-smoking. The evidence is still being gathered at the moment for whether or not it is a gateway for young people but the issue that we have is vaping is not regulated in our country. Right now the smoking rate for our young people has really really reduced to just under 2 percent. It is our intention to ensure that we regulate vaping but also that we ensure that our young people are not attracted to vaping if they are not attracted to smoking. We do not want our country to be smoke-free; we also want to ensure that it is vape-free. David Seymour: So is the Minister saying that youth smoking rates are at a record low there is no evidence that vaping is a gateway to smoking and yet she wants to regulate vaping—effectively putting tobacco back on a level playing field with it?SPEAKER: Order! Order! Far too long and the member can count.Hon JENNY SALESA: Prohibiting vaping in smoke-free areas is a precautionary measure that has already been agreed to by Cabinet. Increasing visibility of vaping is something that we think would help normalise it. We want to ensure that our young people especially those who are now not smoking any more do not actually take up vaping instead. We know that nicotine is in vaping. It is an addictive substance. One of the reasons why we're introducing regulation to ensure we regulate vaping is to ensure that too many of our young people do not take up this new habit.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Will she take up the offer of the Leader of the Opposition to work across bipartisan lines in order to get robust regulations in place for vaping and if so when?Hon JENNY SALESA: Yes absolutely and I thank the Leader of the Opposition as well as the National Party for wanting to work in a partnership way with this side of the House and we will be introducing this legislation soon to the House. At the point that we introduce the legislation and prior to the select committee we will be in a position to then work with the Opposition."