New Zealand wants to be smoke-free by 2025, but does it still count if the nation simply shifts from smoking tobacco cigarettes to vaping e-cigarettes?
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has claimed that 230,000 New Zealanders have quit smoking because of vaping. Vape Free Kids NZ say Luxon is citing data that does not specify that vaping was the reason 230,000 people quit smoking.
The number appears to come from the Ministry of Health’s annual health survey. It’s a count of the number of people who say they quit smoking over the last three years. However, the survey does not collect data on what method was used to quit smoking.
Co-founder of Vape Free Kids NZ, Charyl Robinson, says that if the Government is serious about cracking down on the youth vaping issue, Luxon needs to get his numbers right.
“Vapes are a serious and highly addictive product that needs to be regulated and managed carefully by the Government who are responsible for keeping people healthy,” she says.
“This Government continues to make decisions that appear to be in favour of the tobacco industry, who have for decades directly marketed to and targeted children with highly addictive nicotine products.
“How can the Prime Minister take the issue of youth vaping seriously if he can’t get his facts straight?
“We are deeply concerned about what other incorrect information the Prime Minister is basing important decisions on, especially since Cabinet has agreed to legalise even more addictive nicotine products, with nicotine pouches soon to become legal.
“If the Prime Minister is getting incorrect information from his minister responsible for tobacco and vaping, Casey Costello, then maybe it’s time to replace her with a minister who is actually there to fight for the health and wellbeing of our tamariki and rangatahi.”
Calls to Replace Costello
The Labour Party is calling for Associate Health Minister Casey Costello to be fired over her advice to Cabinet regarding a 50 percent tax cut on heated tobacco products (HTPs).
Costello claimed she had independent advice supporting the tax cut, stating that HTPs are less harmful than smoking and citing their use in Japan as an example of how they can help reduce smoking rates. However, the Treasury had warned her that tobacco company Philip Morris would be the biggest beneficiary of the tax cut, and the Ministry of Health found no compelling evidence that HTPs help people quit smoking.
When pressed for details, Costello released five articles that Labour claims do not provide strong support for her position.
Labour’s Ayesha Verrall argues that Costello cannot be trusted, has made a fool of the Prime Minister twice, and should be sacked for her “unacceptable standard of behaviour” and “incredibly poor use of public money”.
Verrall notes that the articles seem irrelevant, are not all independent, and do not focus specifically on the use of HTPs in New Zealand.
Despite Prime Minister Christopher Luxon expressing confidence in Costello, the controversy has raised questions about her judgement and the evidence base for the proposed $216 million tax cut.
At large, the future of changes to smoking and vaping laws is up in the air.
Concerning Impacts
In December 2023, Vape Kids NZ shared heart-breaking stories about youth vaping, illustrating the impact of our rangatahi using vapes regularly.
“Families are desperate. They are turned away from stop smoking services and have no control over the proliferation of vape retailers turning up in every place their children frequent – including the school gates,” said Vape Free Kids NZ co-founder Marnie Wilton.
One mum shared, “Our 15-year-old first tried vaping when a friend in year nine shared theirs with him. He was 12 years old. Three years later, he is heavily addicted to nicotine. He has given up twice and is currently trying desperately to give up a third time using nicotine gum and patches prescribed by his doctor. It’s not going well. He has lung issues from heavy vaping and vaped through three bouts of bronchitis last year.
“I am angry, horrified, and absolutely gutted. The burden of addiction is very depressing and very real. The self-hatred he feels for being addicted, the emotional upset and anger when he tries to stop, the lying to his parents, the illegal behaviour he is engaged in with utterly complicit adults who sell directly over the counter to him when he goes out to buy vape juice, it’s all real, and it is bad.”
Supporting Vaping Students
Protect Your Breath is a campaign that aims to breathe new energy into the youth vaping conversation. They add that myths and misconceptions about vaping are pervasive – from inaccurate horror stories to suggestions that vaping is ‘healthy’. Stomping out misinformation is paramount to tackling the issue.
Health New Zealand’s Vaping Facts website looks to help schools support students. Schools should educate students on the legal and health aspects of vaping, making it clear that vaping is illegal for those under 18 and not harmless. Schools should promote informed decision-making, provide resources for quitting, and encourage critical thinking.
Programs like Tūturu help students understand the risks associated with vaping and support from health professionals is recommended for those looking to quit. Data shows rising youth vaping rates, particularly among Māori youth.
The latest results from the 2023 ASH Year 10 Snapshot survey found that 10 percent of 14 to 15-year-olds reported vaping every day, with higher rates among rangatahi Māori (22 percent) and Māori girls (26.6 percent). Daily vaping among those who have never smoked showed no significant change, with rates at 4.6 percent in 2023.
Visit www.protectyourbreath.co.nz for more.
