The New Zealand government’s initiative to provide free vapes to smokers as a method to help them quit cigarettes has sparked controversy among health advocates. Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced that vaping starter kits would be distributed to stop-smoking services nationwide in an effort to transition adult smokers to a less harmful alternative. Costello emphasized the role vaping has played in lowering smoking rates and expressed a goal to aid smokers in making this switch.
However, Letitia Harding, the CEO of the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation, criticized the plan as surprising and contentious. Harding highlighted that the World Health Organization, the US Food and Drug Administration, and New Zealand’s own Medsafe have not approved vapes as a cessation tool for smoking. She expressed concern over the plan’s hastiness, describing the rollout scheduled for next week as “crazy” due to the lack of thorough consultation.
Harding also pointed out the plan’s lack of a concrete strategy for nicotine addiction cessation, questioning what products would be funded and the long-term approach to helping individuals break free from nicotine dependency. She warned of the potential for a future “Vape Free Aotearoa” if an effective exit strategy from nicotine isn’t developed.
