Will New Zealand’s vaping regulations enhance or hinder harm reduction

New Zealand has taken a progressive approach to tobacco harm reduction with the Government actively promoting the role of vaping as a harm reduction tool. In particular for populations experiencing health inequities. Currently, an estimated 5% of NZ adults vape regularly, increasing to 8% for the most deprived.

Legislation to control and regulate reduced harm tobacco products and e-cigarettes was passed in mid 2020.  The intent being to balance the benefits of vaping and smokeless tobacco products (as compared to smoking) with concerns about children’s and young people’s access to these products. The legislation favours a more flexible regulatory to vaping controls and will bring some clarity to what has been a totally unregulated e-cigarette market up until now.

However, proposed regulations risk undermining the governments objectives, and tip the balance back in favour of smoked tobacco. This presentation will summarise the major changes to the vaping market as a result of recent legislation, and explore whether it will enhance or hinder the goal to reduce tobacco harms and inequities.