The Government’s plan to use vaping starter kits to
help adults quit smoking is irresponsible and fails to
consider future health complications.
That is the
message from the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ
following the announcement that stop-smoking services around
the country can start supplying vaping starter kits from
next week.
Foundation Chief Executive Ms Letitia
Harding says she has deep concerns about this plan given
that vapes are not an approved product for smoking
cessation.
“We are concerned that the
government is proceeding with this plan without fully
understanding the long-term
consequences.
“We support efforts to help
smokers quit, but not by providing them with another product
that can also be harmful.”
The lack of consultation
with health experts and the lack of detail is concerning, Ms
Harding says.
“It leaves many questions unanswered
-why was there no meaningful consultation with independent
health experts, other stakeholders and the wider
community?”
It was important there is ongoing support
for smokers-turned-vapers to quit vaping, but there was no
indication that would be offered, she says.
“What is
the exit strategy? How will the government ensure that those
who successfully quit smoking using vapes are not left
trapped in a new addiction to nicotine?
“There needs
to be a clear pathway for people to move away from nicotine
altogether, and we see no evidence of that in the current
proposal.”
The Smokefree 2025 plan aimed at reducing
smoking rates should focus on evidence-based methods that
help people quit nicotine entirely, she says.
“We urge
the government to rethink its approach.
“This cannot
simply be about shifting smokers from one form of nicotine
to
another.”
Advertisement – scroll to continue reading
© Scoop Media
Discussion about this post