Canterbury students take action on vaping after store opens across the road
From local democracy reporter David Hill:
Pupils at one school are taking action to stop young people becoming addicted to vaping, while a principal at another says the problem is bigger for schools than “smoking ever was”.
Student leader Jasper Rosewarne, 12, launched a petition after vape store Hukka Woodend opened across the road from the school recently.
“When I heard that there was a vaping store opening across the road from our school, I didn’t like it because I don’t want young people exposed to vapes,” he said.
The student leaders reached out to Jasper’s father, Labour list MP Dan Rosewarne and Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey for advice.
They planned to present the petition to Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon and were calling on the vape store owner to take measures to protect young people in the community.
The students suggested closing the store when children were going to and from school, no signage on School Rd facing the school, having merchandise locked away where young people could not see it and no seating outside where young people could loiter.
The store’s advertised opening hours were 10am to 7pm.
The sale and supply of vape products has an age restriction of 18 years, but local schools said large numbers of their students had been exposed to it.
Earlier this month, the Waimakariri District Council expressed concern at the lack of regulations around vaping and the lack of enforcement of the age restriction.
Rosewarne said he visited the store and attempted to arrange a meeting with the owner, but had yet to receive a response.
Doocey said the community did not want a vape store near the school, but felt powerless to stop it.
He called for legislation restricting the number of vape stores and where they could be located.
Rangiora High School principal Bruce Kearney said vaping was a bigger problem for schools than “smoking ever was”.
Smokers were easy to spot as there would be smoke and you could smell it on their breath.
“But with vaping it is almost impossible to catch people, and some of the vapes look like a highlighter.”
Vaping was creating anti-social behaviour, as pupils congregated around toilets and prevented others from entering.
Given the age restriction, Kearney questioned how his pupils were getting hold of vape products.
“I have no idea how they get it, but someone is breaking the law.”
But he noted when pupils did get caught with vape “90% of the time the parents are fully aware of their vaping habits”.
Kaiapoi High School principal Jason Reid said while vaping was less harmful than tobacco, there were too many unknowns when it came to the long term effects.
“The teenage brain is highly malleable, it is still developing and nicotine, like any psychoactive substance, can have significant negative effects on this process.”
He called for regulations to make vapes “flavour-free” and as a prescription-only medication to help people give up smoking.
Rangiora New Life School principal Stephen Walters said his school was working with parents of pupils who had become addicted to vaping.
“As a chemistry teacher with a knowledge of chemicals and their effects, I have very real concerns about the chemicals that growing young lungs are being exposed to.”
A Hukka Woodend spokesperson said the store had strict policy where no-one under-18 was allowed to enter the store, even with a parent or guardian.
There was no signage on School Rd, but there were signs facing Main North Rd and there was no seating outside the store.
Hukka Woodend did not promote any of its products, as guided by the Vaping Regulatory Authority, the spokesperson said.
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Fears motorway toll could leave North Canterbury town worse off
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A community leader fears a toll on the proposed motorway extension could leave a North Canterbury town worse off.
Woodend-Sefton Community Board chairperson Shona Powell said she fears Woodend could face increased traffic without promised safety improvements, if a toll is introduced on the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway extension, which includes the proposed Woodend Bypass.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) last month announced consultation for a toll of $4.30 for light vehicles and $8.60 for heavy vehicles (including trucks) on the new 11km Manawatu Gorge Motorway, which will be completed next year.
It means commuters could be stung with paying an extra $43 a week in their travel costs.
The agency said the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway extension will be 9km, including the Woodend Bypass and the realignment and four laning south of Pineacres.
Woodend residents have been waiting for safety improvements since NZTA began consulting with the community eight years ago.
But the safety improvements have been placed on hold, pending the progress of the motorway extension.
‘‘My biggest concern is people will continue using the existing road through Woodend and will go through Kaiapoi or Tuahiwi to avoid paying the toll,’’ Powell said.
‘‘And Woodend may not get the safety improvements, so nothing changes.’’
Powell was also concerned the speed reduction from 100kph to 80kph on State Highway 1 between the Pegasus roundabout and Waikuku could be reversed, following changes to the Setting of Speed Limits rule being announced.
‘‘It was a speed limit requested by the community as a safety improvement.
‘‘To go back to having that fast speed limit for traffic coming from the north, it would just be disastrous.’’
NZTA director regional relationships James Caygill said the Government Policy Statement (GPS) on land transport requires the agency to consider tolling for new roads.
‘‘But it is too soon to discuss any potential tolling options until the scope and cost of this project has been confirmed’’.
Caygill was unable to confirm whether the 80kph speed limit between Pegasus and Waikuku would remain.
He said the agency will identify locations affected by the rule once it is finalised later in the year.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown said Waka Kotahi ‘‘is working at pace’’ to deliver the motorway extension.
‘‘NZTA’s project teams are reviewing the scope, design, cost, and timing of all Roads of National Significance projects to ensure consistency with expectations in the GPS on Land Transport 2024.’’
He said Government ‘‘will support any recommendation from NZTA to toll roads’’.
The Government was also committed to ‘‘reversing Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions’’, Brown said.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Poll: Is dumping an issue in your neighbourhood?
There's nothing worse than strolling around the streets in your neighbourhood and seeing dumped rubbish.
Have you noticed this in your area? What could we do to combat this around the country?
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41.7% Yes, I've seen some illegal dumping
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57.5% No, our neighbourhood is pretty good
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0.8% Other - I'll share below
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