Doctors say that government regulation is needed for delivery services that sell cigarettes, vape products and alcohol online, reports the NZ Herald.

Delivery services have become a popular option since the COVID-19 lockdowns and a study by the University of Otago shows that 130 delivery services across the country offer home deliveries of tobacco products and alcohol.
The study collected data from different businesses’ websites and found that of 130 services, 76 per cent supplied food; 37 per cent alcohol; 23 per cent vaping products and 21 per cent cigarettes, according to the NZ Herald. All companies said they had an age verification process although only 87 per cent had birthdate entry and 73 per cent had an 18+ age pop-up on their website.
"The surge of growth in online food, alcohol, nicotine and vape deliveries has been significant, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic," co-author of the University of Otago study Dr Hannah Miles said.
Co-author Dr Brylie Apeldoorn said that home deliveries could potentially increase alcohol and nicotine-related health problems and prove a stumbling stone for measures such as the SmokeFree 2025 goal.