Loucas added : “ No one wants secondary school students vaping but let ’ s not forget that the latest survey clearly shows any school vapers are overwhelmingly those who were smoking in the first place .
“ We finally have Smokefree 2025 in our sights , but a vocal minority are doing their best to sabotage it .
“ If New Zealand wants to be the envy of the world , CAPHRA is calling on the small , progressive nation to keep its eyes on the prize and not kill off the very goose that ’ s laying the smokefree golden egg .”
Kiwi adult smoking rates have almost halved from 18 percent in 2006 to 9.4 percent in 2021 .
The country ’ s decision to embrace tobacco harm reduction and encourage smokers to switch to vaping is credited with helping bring the numbers down .
And while New Zealand ’ s vaping regulations have won international praise , CAPHRA say they too are hampering the country ’ s smokefree goals .
The organisation wants an end to restrictions limiting supermarkets , service stations and convenience stores to selling just mint , menthol and tobacco flavoured vape products .
Currently , only licenced specialist vape stores can sell a full range of flavours , but Loucas says this makes little sense .
She said : “ The law claims to strike a balance between ensuring vaping products are available to adult smokers while protecting young people .
“ However , banning the most popular flavours from general retail only stops adult Kiwis from quitting smoking .
“ We ’ re calling on the next Director-General of Health to review this provision , because it ’ s hampering New Zealand ’ s Smokefree 2025 efforts .”
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