A comprehensive survey of over 30,000 Year 10 students in New Zealand reveals a dramatic shift in teenage vaping habits. According to the latest data from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), the number of teenagers vaping regularly (once a month or more) has halved since its peak of 20.2% in 2021. Daily vaping rates have also fallen to 7.1%, down from a high of 10.1% in 2022.
ASH chairperson Emeritus Professor Robert Beaglehole noted that “vaping is not as cool as it used to be,” attributing part of the decline to regulations banning sales to under-18s implemented in 2020. He celebrated the country’s success in raising a “smoke-free generation,” with daily smoking among youth remaining at a “negligible” 1% since 2021. Beaglehole emphasized that while vaping helps adult smokers quit, overregulation could be counterproductive.
However, disparities persist. While Māori youth vaping rates have decreased significantly, 16.5% still vape daily. Associate Professor Andrew Waa from Otago University expressed concern that some teens might be switching to oral nicotine products and called for a focus on a “nicotine-free future.” He highlighted that high accessibility for Māori and Pacific youth remains an “entirely preventable inequity.”
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