Faced with the scourge of smoking, New Zealand has decided to incorporate e-cigarettes into its harm reduction policy, relying on a regulated approach based on scientific evidence. The results are significant, and offer an example that many countries could learn from.
Since 2011, New Zealand, where tobacco causes between 4,500 and 5,000 deaths every year1has been pursuing an ambitious goal with the Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 plan: to reduce the proportion of adult daily smokers to less than 5%. Vape is the central tool in this anti-smoking campaign, which also aims to correct historical health inequalities, particularly among the Māori and Pasifika populations. The results are convincing.
The figures speak for themselves
- In New Zealand, the daily smoking rate fell from 16.4% in 2011 to 6.9% in 2023. This decline accelerated sharply from 2017, when the sale of nicotined e-liquids was authorized. While the smoking rate still reached 14.5%, prevalence has been halved in 8 years!
- By 2023, the proportion of daily vapers had risen to almost 10% of adults.
- Among 15-17 year-olds, the prevalence of daily smoking has become marginal: between 1 and 2%, while the rate of daily vaping has almost doubled, rising from 8.3% between 2021 and 2022 to 15.4% between 2022 and 2023.2.
- Among 18-24 year-olds, the vaping rate will exceed 25% in 2022/233.
These figures illustrate a clear correlation between the decline in smoking and the rise of vaping, particularly marked among younger generations.
A pragmatic regulatory framework
In 2017, New Zealand lifted the ban on selling nicotined e-liquids4a decisive step towards its public health objective. In 2020, it passed the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Vaping) Amendment Act, which strictly regulates marketing and advertising around vape, and officially recognizes its usefulness for smoking cessation. The Department of Health states: "vaping is significantly less harmful than smoking and can help smokers quit." To support this policy, a government website, vapingfacts.health.nz, has been set up to inform and reassure the public about electronic cigarettes.
Support and concrete measures
Since January 2025, a program of free distribution of vape kits has been in place for adult smokers wishing to quit, via 24 approved health services5. working particularly closely with the Māori and Pasifika communities. More than 3,400 kits have already been delivered, backed up by rigorous support and follow-up. This initiative is part of the national " Vape to quit strong " campaign, promoted on TV, radio and social networks to get the message across: vaping is far less harmful than smoking, and vape is an effective aid to smoking cessation.
A strong political will
To achieve its goal, New Zealand has not hesitated to innovate and deploy a number of strategies:
- Sharp increase in cigarette taxes: around 78% of the price of a pack;
- More prevention campaigns;
- Proposal to drastically limit the number of tobacco outlets - project abandoned at the end of 2023 after a change of government ;
- A law banning tobacco purchases for life for generations born after 2008/2009 was passed and then overturned.
Some projects fail, but the government remains firmly committed to the fight against smoking, its victories are convincing, and vape has become an essential tool in a committed and controlled harm reduction policy.
Science confirms: vape works
Scientific literature supports the New Zealand example. A 2024 Cochrane review concludes that vape is more effective than conventional nicotine substitutes for withdrawal6. A study conducted by Te Hā - Waitaha, a New Zealand public service, showed that after 6 to 12 months of support, 47% of smokers monitored were abstinent. Of these, 31% vaped only, 22% were mixed users, and 16% no longer used either tobacco or vape7.
An international example?
At a time when many countries are hesitating or restricting vaping, New Zealand is relying on sound scientific data and a harm reduction principle to drive back smoking. This pragmatic, well-documented model now serves as a credible alternative to repressive approaches. By promoting vape for smokers in the process of quitting, New Zealand is turning e-cigarettes into a public health tool, offering smokers a suitable, effective and realistic way out - and a model for other countries to follow.
To remember
New Zealand aims to reduce the number of daily smokers to less than 5% by implementing a policy of harm reduction and supervised promotion of vaping.
From 2011 to 2023, the proportion of smokers fell from 16.4% to 6.9%, while almost 10% of adults vaped daily. Among 15-17 year-olds, daily smoking falls to 1-2%, while vaping reaches 15.4%, and over 25% of 18-24 year-olds are vapers. This trend shows a strong correlation between the decline in smoking and the rise in vaping.
Since January 2025, a national program has been distributing free vape kits to adult smokers wishing to quit, as part of the "Vape to quit strong" campaign, which promotes vaping as an effective and much less harmful alternative to tobacco.
- Tobacco data and statistics, New Zealand Ministry of Health - https://www.health.govt.nz/statistics-research/statistics-and-data-sets/tobacco ︎
- Ibid ︎
- Ibid ︎
- Lifting the ban on the sale of nicotined e-liquids, Beehive New Zealand Government, 2017 - https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/nicotine-e-cigarettes-become-legal ︎
- Free vape kit distribution program, Te Whatu Ora, 2025 - https://www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/health-services-and-programmes/vaping-and-smokeless-tobacco-products/vaping-information-for-stop-smoking-services-and-health-workers ︎
- Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation, Cochrane Review, 2024 - https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010216.pub7/full ︎
- An evaluation of a New Zealand "vape to quit smoking" programme, New Zealand Medical Journal, 2024 - https://nzmj.org.nz/media/pages/journal/vol-135-no-1561/an-evaluation-of-a-new-zealand-vape-to-quit-smoking-programme/4d2788ce72-1696472939/an-evaluation-of-a-new-zealand-vape-to-quit-smoking-programme.pdf ︎