New Zealand to ban vapes to prevent minors from taking up the habit

The New Zealand government is stepping up penalties (Michael Craig/New Zealand Herald via AP)

New Zealand has said it will ban vapes and raise financial penalties for those who sell such products to minors.

The move comes less than a month after the government repealed a unique law enacted by the previous left-leaning administration to phase out tobacco smoking by imposing a lifetime ban on young people buying cigarettes.