What will the Government’s free vape starter kit programme achieve?
April 14, 2025 by phcc.org.nz
What will the Government’s free vape starter kit programme achieve?
The Government aims for Smokefree 2025 but free vape kits may only help fewer than 500 quit smoking. Achieving the goal requires over 82,000 people to stop, especially in Māori and Pacific groups. The kits may assist long-term quitting, but the impact is limited. Policy changes are needed for significant reductions. Distributing all vape kits provided would see about 466 successfully quitting, a small fraction of the goal. To reach the target, denicotinisation could be key. Cost-effectiveness calculations suggest scaling up the program may fall short. Overall, urgent and evidence-based measures are necessary for substantial progress toward Smokefree 2025.
8.30% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 444,279 current smokers in New Zealand.
SOURCE: GSTHR
