A vaping group is hitting out at a ban in the Queenstown Lakes area - saying it's based on snobbery, not science

Queenstown Lakes District Council's trialling a smoking and vaping ban on lakefront beaches in Queenstown, Wanaka, Frankton and Glenorchy.

The Vaping Trade Association's Eliana Rubashkyn says vaping shouldn't be included because it's the alternative to smoking.

She says it's wrong to punish people for vaping, when they might be doing it as a way to stop smoking.