Smoking in New Zealand
In New Zealand, smoking is legal but subject to tobacco control regulations. Cigarettes are regulated as tobacco products and can be sold through retail outlets, including online sales and vending machines. The importation of cigarettes for trade is allowed with a trade license. Health warnings on packaging are mandatory, the legal minimum age for purchase is 18 years, and smoking in public places is subject to legal restrictions. A comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising is also in place. Cigarettes in New Zealand are taxed at a total rate of 82.78%, including an excise component of 69.74%. Data show that in 2024, the number of current smokers was recorded to be approximately 364,000 in New Zealand, corresponding to an adult smoking prevalence of 8.6%. In the same year, current smoking prevalence was slightly higher among males (9.7%) than among females (7.7%). In 2022, this prevalence was recorded to be 11.4%. In 2023, the adult daily tobacco smoking prevalence was reported to be 7.7%, with approximately 362,845 daily smokers. In 2021, smoking led to approximately 3,580 deaths in New Zealand, including 2,085 deaths among males and 1,495 deaths among females. In other words, tobacco smoking accounted for 10.38% of all deaths in the country in 2021, including11.78% of all male deaths and 8.9% of all female deaths.
Read articles from New Zealand
October 21, 2019 by nzherald.co.nz
Vaping products now sold in NZ pharmacies
Vaping products are now being sold on pharmacy shelves throughout New Zealand.
Vaping company Vapix, which is branded as a health product, is now being sold in Unichem and Life Pharmacy stores around the country.
The product is only available to those older than 18 and is marketed at smokers, encouraging them to "make the switch". Marie Bennett, the owner of Unichem All Seasons Pharmacy in West Auckland, said the decision to stock vaping products came about from customers requesting the products as a means to quit smoking.
October 17, 2019 by tvnz.co.nz
New data shows cigarette sales have fallen much more sharply in the past two years
The number of cigarettes being sold in New Zealand looks to have fallen more sharply over the past two years or so, according to new stats released to 1 NEWS under the Official Information Act.
The Health Promotion Agency has published statistics showing the number of cigarettes sold in millions over four-weekly periods. Those numbers are gathered from supermarket, service station and liquor store sales numbers by AC Nielsen.
October 09, 2019 by teaomaori.news
2025 smokefree goals ‘a long way off’
Arnah Rewha, a full-time smoker is adamant she will switch to vaping if the Government addresses urgent knowledge gaps around the effects vaping products have on people in New Zealand. This comes as anti-smoking experts look for better outcomes for vapers.
“The feeling of smoking, is a feeling or relief from stress,” says Rewha. [...]
“I think they've recognised they're not going to hit the smokefree goals they've had for 2025. They are a long way off,” says David Sweanor, adjunct professor of law, University of Ottawa.
October 07, 2019 by scoop.co.nz
Anti-smoking experts highlight e-cigarette opportunities
Global anti-smoking experts highlight e-cigarette opportunities
A new report from global anti-smoking experts is warning that the advantages of e-cigarettes should not be dismissed.
The authors are cautioning the Government to not be heavy-handed with regulation of the products. Whilst the report highlights the importance of protecting youth, the authors recommend that this can be achieved whilst assisting smokers to quit smoking and transition to the much less harmful e-cigarette option. They underline that a range of flavours are important to the smokefree proposition of e-cigarettes.
October 07, 2019 by tvnz.co.nz
Vaping a pathway to get people on track to reach Smokefree 2025 goals, professor says
David Sweanor talked to TVNZ1’s Breakfast as experts claim the country is not on track to reach its goal.
October 02, 2019 by newsroom.co.nz
Q&A: Does NZ have a place for e-cigarettes?
Three University of Auckland researchers discuss the outcomes of new New Zealand trials on vaping amid a global backlash against e-cigarettes Discussion on the therapeutic benefits of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes to smokers worldwide who want to quit the killer habit is being overtaken by concerns over potential harms. But while the debate over vaping is raging, we have shown in our research with more than a thousand New Zealanders who smoke cigarettes and want to quit, that nicotine-containing e-cigarettes when used alone or with nicotine patches can help.
October 01, 2019 by nzherald.co.nz
Vaping companies band together to fight Government restrictions
A collection of the biggest names in the vaping industry have set aside their competitive differences to fight a bigger foe: Government regulation.
In a bid to offer a collective voice against proposed regulatory changes, a collection of vaping businesses recently banded together to form the Vaping Trade Association of New Zealand (VTANZ).
The Herald understands that major Kiwi vape brands including Shosha, Alt, Vapourium, The Vape Shop and Vapo, among others have agreed to work together to ensure that excessively prohibitive legislation isn't passed in the local market.
September 19, 2019 by nzherald.co.nz
How a person vapes, not just what, plays a big role in the danger
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is looking closely at the different flavoured nicotine juices and other substances users may be vaping in e-cigarettes to determine how the aerosol might be affecting users' lungs. On Sept. 12, 2019, the CDC lowered the number of confirmed and probable cases from more than 400 to 380. The number was lower, the agency said, because it is no longer reporting "possible cases." The mystery and concern remain. And, many smokers who use these devices to quit are concerned that a valuable tool may be taken away from them. [...]
September 18, 2019 by tobaccoreporter.com
Apology to Glover
The Public Health Association (PHA) of New Zealand has issued a public apology over statements made by its CEO Prudence Stone about Marewa Glover [...] In a recent PHA newsletter, Stone stated that Glover was influenced by Philip Morris International and that Glover had made false statements to the select committee considering amendments to the Smoke-free Environments (prohibiting smoking in motor vehicles carrying children) Amendment Bill. “Dr. Stone and the PHA retract these comments and unreservedly apologize to Dr. Glover for the comments made,” the apology stated.
February 20, 2019 by nzherald.co.nz
Jay Kuten: E-cigarettes, that's the real name "vaping" is the sexier term
Recently in this column (Chronicle, February 6 ), I called for greater responsibility of both government and individual citizens for getting the facts on important potential dangers in order to avert paralysing fear and thus, make reason based action possible.
While the greater focus was global warming, I used as example the rather casual way that so-called vaping has been normalised in New Zealand with minimal to no regulation.