In New Zealand, the Ministry of Health has taken tobacco company Philip Morris to court over the sale of its IQOS, a heat-not-burn device designed to heat sticks of tobacco to the point at which an aerosol or “vapor” is produced.
According to the Ministry of Health, the sale of Philip Morris International’s HEETS tobacco sticks, which are used with the IQOS, is illegal in the country, but Philip Morris disagrees. Subsequently, the two are headed to court.
The issue raised by the Ministry seems to be somewhat of a technicality. If the Ministry is able to prove that HEET sticks are intended for oral use, but not for smoking, then their sale would be illegal under the country’s current laws. However, if Philip Morris International (PMI) is able to prove that HEETS is in fact a smoking product, then its sale within the borders of New Zealand is in fact legal.
NZ Herald reported that the Ministry has brought two charges against PMI for the sale of their HEETS tobacco sticks in the country and that the two charges carry a maximum penalty of $10,000.
In 2011, the New Zealand government set a goal for Smokefree 2025, an initiative which aims to reduce the prevalence of smoking in the country to minimal levels.
According to the Ministry of Health’s research, e-cigarette research shows that e-cigs carry “much less risk than smoking cigarettes,” but they are not without risk.
The Best Portable Vaporizer Under $150...
You Haven't Lived Until You've Tried This Vape...
This Automatic Herb Grinder Can Roll You Joints...