The New Zealand Ministry of Health has launched Vaping Facts, a new website and campaign to inform smokers of the facts about vaping and to encourage them to make the switch.

The progressive, evidence-based approach to vaping in New Zealand is a harsh rebuke to Australian regulators who are increasingly out of touch.

The key message is that vaping can help some smokers quit and is much less harmful than smoking and much cheaper. However it is not completely harmless and is not for non-smokers. The campaign advises vapers to eventually quit vaping too, but only when you know you won’t go back to smoking.

'Quitting smoking can be tough. Vaping is a way to quit cigarettes by getting nicotine with fewer of the toxins that come from burning tobacco. You get to stay social, spend less, and once you’ve quit smoking you’ll feel better for it.'

The facts about vaping

Vaping Facts outlines the evidence about vaping and addresses some of the common myths

• Smokers who switch to vaping reduce their exposure to a wide range of toxic substances
• The risks of heart and lung disease are likely to be substantially below the risks of smoking
• There is currently no evidence that second-hand vapour is harmful to the health of by-standers.
• If vaping is found to be associated with cancer, the risk will only be a tiny fraction of the risks of smoking.
• Nicotine has little or no long-term health effects
• The long-term vaping are unknown but vaping is unlikely to be totally harm free
• Vaping does not cause ‘popcorn lung’

How to switch to vaping

Vaping Facts gives the following advice for smokers wanting to switch

• Go first to a good vape store for advice
• Most people start with either a simple pod or pen-style device. These are mouth-to lung-devices (you hold the vapour in your mouth first like a cigarette)
• Take your time to experiment and find the right device, nicotine strength e-liquid, and flavour for you
• Have realistic goals. Lots of people take two to three months to fully stop smoking and consider themselves a vaper. And that’s ok.

Come on Australia!

The Vaping Facts website and campaign was developed in conjunction with the Health Promotion Agency and is endorsed by long list of public health organisations such as Heart Foundation New Zealand, Cancer Council New Zealand, the New Zealand Medical Association, Quitline NZ and the Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand.

The website will be accompanied by a TV and online media campaign later this year.

In stark contrast, Australian health departments, regulators, health charities and most medical associations are increasingly out of touch with the latest evidence on vaping and are blocking access to the safer alternative.

Press release. New vaping to quit smoking website launches

Posted by Colin Mendelsohn, colin@athra.org.au

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