New Zealand is set to acheive its Smokefree 2025 goal ahead of schedule, with smoking rates reaching unprecedented lows, according to CAPHRA. Data from the New Zealand Health Survey revealed a dramatic decline in smoking rates, which have dropped from 11.9% in 2020 to just 6.8% in 2023. While youth smoking rates have reached historic lows, reflecting the success of this harm-reduction strategy.
Moreover, Australian smoking cessation expert Dr. Colin Mendelsohn informed Vaping Post that New Zealand’s Census 2023 published last week, indicated that adult ‘regular’ smoking was at 7.7%. In a press release, CAPHRA’s Executive Coordinator Nancy Loucas, praised New Zealand’s progressive approach to tobacco harm reduction, particularly its embrace of vaping and other safer alternatives.
Staunch ideologies
On the otherhand, Loucas voiced frustration over the reluctance of some public health advocates to acknowledge the effectiveness of New Zealand’s approach, noting their focus on potential issues with vaping instead of celebrating this milestone. CAPHRA encourages other countries, such as Australia, to reconsider prohibitionist policies and adopt evidence-based harm reduction strategies that have proven effective in reducing smoking.
As part of the group’s 2023 submission to the Government’s consultation on tobacco regulations, CAPHRA had highlighted that some measures aimed at youth vaping would come in the way of smokers trying to quit. At the time, Loucas had expressed particular concern over restrictions on adult community spaces, such as universities. The group also opposed limiting vape product sales to tobacco retailers, emphasizing the need for wider availability of safer nicotine products. They noted that the focus on reducing the number of tobacco retailers to 600 must not neglect alternative options for smokers.
Paddling against the current
Earlier this year, CAPHRA highlighted that during a presentation for Parliament’s Health Select Committee on New Zealand’s smokefree bill, the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) shared inaccurate facts about local teen vaping trends. In a press release on the presentation, Loucas explained that while the RNZCGP did mention vaping’s role as part of the local smoking cessation strategy, the concerns it voiced about non-smoking teens taking up vaping were misguided.
She referred to the latest ASH Year 10 Snapshot which surveyed 26,000 New Zealand students aged 13 and 14 years old on their nicotine use behavioural patterns, and explained that the data indicated there was no need for concern, as only 3% of those who vape daily were never smokers. Moreover she highlighted, ASH’s 2021 survey also found just 1.3% of year 10s are smoking daily, down from 2% in 2019.
New Zealand’s “Smokefree Bill” is Likely to Work Against Local Smokefree 2025 Goal
