A small vape shop has popped up at the Otāne general store. Photo: RNZ / Lauren Crimp
A tiny Central Hawke's Bay town is home to a new vape store - but locals say it is not welcome.
A petition with more than 500 signatures calling for the closure of the shop in Otāne was delivered to Mayor Alex Walker by local Kerry Low.
On a Monday morning a few weeks ago, he spotted the new shop attached to the general store.
"I live directly across the road from the shop, and I woke up that morning and when I saw the vape sign there, I was just very upset."
The community was angry too and aired concerns about young people becoming addicted to vapes, he said.
"I sat out the front here, and I had about 40 people pull up, I asked every one of them, what do you think about the vape shop over the road?
"Every single one of them said we don't need it, and we should get rid of it, and so then I started a petition."
Kerry Low presents a petition to Central Hawke's Bay mayor Alex Walker calling for the closure of a new vape shop in Otāne. Photo: Central Hawke's Bay District Council
Low cannot read or write, so he asked neighbour Vera Smith and the community group she is part of, Progressive Otāne, to help pen the petition.
Low usually kept to himself, said Smith - so the effort he went to showed how strongly he felt.
"He went door to door all round town and talked to people about it, and talked to people in the street, and at the market we have on Sunday mornings, and things like that."
Many of those who signed the petition commented they did not want tamariki exposed to vapes.
"The first day [the shop] was open, kids are walking home from school and they're all rapt, all saying yeah, we've got a vape shop in Otāne," Low said.
Vera Smith from the community group Progressive Otāne. Photo: RNZ / Lauren Crimp
But store owner Jimmy Patel said he tried his best to keep kids' eyes off the shop, closing the doors during the time they walked past to and from school.
It was no different to other shops selling booze, and he had not done anything wrong, he said.
Selling alcohol was more damaging, he said.
While Patel could see where the community was coming from, he said he was just trying to make a living.
"We understand but what can we do? There's always someone to moan about something, we can't keep everyone happy."
The council had received the petition, but it could not do much more, said Mayor Alex Walker.
"At the community level, where these impacts are being felt by families, and by schools in particular when it comes to young people, there's no contribution to that decision-making and so these outlets can be anywhere."
Walker wanted to know how government could help, and suggested introducing legislation requiring community consultation on where the products could be sold.
While local MP Catherine Wedd could not promise that, she said she was aware of the petition, and wanted to hear from the community.
"I understand their concerns, and you know I think it's really important that they are advocating for their community.
"I'll certainly stand by them and make sure that we're understanding the issues."
