e-cigarettes

Smokers are being encouraged to switch to vaping when the Government's grip on their wallets tightens with a tobacco tax hike tomorrow.

The excise tax increases by 10 per cent tomorrow are part of a series of annual rises, the last of which, on the current plan, will be on January 1, 2020.

Quitline is expecting an influx of calls and text messages for support to give up smoking as the new year begins tomorrow. Early January is its busiest time. It says many people commit to quitting as a New Year resolution and it is a time when many people focus on the cost of the habit.

Mihi Blair, General Manager of the National Tobacco Control Advocacy Service speaks to Breakfast, "Vaping is still a safer alternative and a good way to kick the habit, despite one respiratory expert's concern with e-cigarettes.vaping is still a safer alternative and a good way to kick the habit, despite one respiratory expert's concern with e-cigarettes.

In a long awaited announcement today, Associate Health Minister, Jenny Salesa, stated that a new law would be passed to ban smoking in cars carrying children.

A new study on vaping supports community voices in showing that vaping is more effective than nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).

In a randomised control trial (RCT) by Professor Hayden McRobbie and colleagues, almost 900 people seeking to quit tobacco received either NRT or a vape, coupled with behavioural support. Results 12 months later indicated that those who vaped were almost twice as likely (18.0%) to remain smokefree as those who used NRT (9.9%). Results also show the importance of behavioural support to quit.

The Ministry of Health are making moves to regulate vapes, e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. This is supported by Hāpai Te Hauora who hopes that the Ministry do their best to provide effective and sustainable regulation.

Last week it was revealed that Philip Morris (New Zealand) has taken British American Tobacco (New Zealand) to court. The two tobacco giants are squabbling over alleged anti-competitive behaviour by British American Tobacco in the New Zealand market.

We went out into the community to talk to members of our whānau at the Pacifica National League cup. It was a colourful few days and a great opportunity to better understand current thoughts and perceptions on vaping and tobacco! Here's a snapshot of what we found.

New research has been released which shows that vaping in New Zealand is a popular alternative for those wanting to quit smoking tobacco. A recent survey on vapers was conducted by Dr Penny Truman and colleagues at Massey University.

Some major supermarkets across Aotearoa are now selling e-cigarettes. Meanwhile excise tax on tobacco products have increased by a further 10 percent this month.

The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ could be putting the Smokefree 2025 goal at risk through their scare-mongering tactics and attempts to influence the new Government to turn their backs on a sensible, harm reduction approach to smoking cessation. Hāpai Te Hauora has supported the Ministry of Health and previous ministers’ compassionate and progressive stance on e-cigarettes which championed a realistic and pragmatic pathway for people to become smoke free.