A media statement from The University of Auckland titled ‘Vaping helps smokers quit’ is perfectly timed, says Ben Pryor,
co-owner of the largest Kiwi-owned vaping company, Alt New Zealand.
With the Government poised to introduce legislation to regulate vaping, the just-released research involved 1,124 adult
New Zealanders motivated to quit smoking.
The findings reinforce significant international evidence that proves vaping is a safe and effective smoking cessation
tool.
The large study concluded that participants who used nicotine-based vapes in combination with nicotine patches were the
more likely to be smoke-free after six months than those who used nicotine-free vapes with patches.
“Maintaining access to vaping with nicotine is key to getting Kiwis off tobacco. We support the need for sound and solid
industry regulation. However, we also support the need to ensure smokers wanting to quit cigarettes can transition to
vaping with enough nicotine to satisfy them. That is simply what works.”
Mr Pryor says if the Government was to cap nicotine levels too low for vaping, limit flavours, and outlaw all
advertising, smoking rates in New Zealand might start creeping up, putting an end to any national smoke-free ambition.
“Congratulations to the Government on its current ‘vape-to-quit-smoking’ public information campaign. However, if the
Smoke-free Environments (Vaping) Amendment Bill sides with emotion more than evidence, then all the progress made in
recent years could be quickly undone,” says Ben Pryor.