In the blue corner

There is little doubt that smoking has a detrimental effect on health, and as a consequence a burden on our health system. About 5000 people die each year because of smoking or second-hand smoke exposure, and there is widespread support to help smokers quit their expensive and hazardous habit.

Vaping, as an alternative to cigarettes, was always going to be a part of the solution towards a smoke-free future.

The reality is that vaping does help some smokers to make the shift away from the more harmful cigarettes.

There is even evidence out there suggesting that vaping is less harmful than smoking, and that in itself is reassuring.

New Zealand is winning the battle against cigarette smoking. Only 9.4% of the adult population still smoke regularly, and that is down from 18% in 2007. It is not surprising that as cigarette smoking has decreased, the range and availability of vapes has increased.

People should have the freedom to make their own choices and we do not need tighter Government regulations that unnecessarily restrict the freedoms of adult New Zealanders. We know smoking is harmful, and successive Governments have made it more difficult to access cigarettes and have also provided avenues to address the harm it causes. But to block one of the most popular alternatives would most likely result in more people staying on cigarettes.

There is a consensus that the evidence associated with the safety and possible harm of vaping is unknown. That is largely to do with the lack of long-term health trials given that vapes have not been around long enough to test the effects. That being said, it does appear to provide a safer alternative to cigarettes and in my view, it should not be restricted further at this stage.

I am concerned about the number of kids who have access to vapes and are being hooked on nicotine at a young age. The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Vaping) Amendment Act 2020, which the National party supported, went a long way to regulate vapes. But there is still work to do to ensure that we can restrict youth from accessing such products.

When the fourth Labour Government banned smoking from most indoor places, the public were split on the idea. It was a controversial change, but one that looking back 30 years was necessary and few would want to turn the clock back. Allowing vaping as an alternative for smoking is another rung on the ladder towards a healthier future for New Zealanders.