A Cloud Over Aotearoa's Youth
Vaping, the act of inhaling an aerosol from an electronic device, was initially promoted as a less harmful alternative to smoking and a tool to help adults quit. However, it has exploded in popularity among young people who have never smoked, creating a new public health challenge. A 2021 survey by the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ found that 27% of Year 10 students vaped regularly, a significant increase from previous years. The appeal is often driven by sleek marketing, a wide variety of sweet flavours like "cotton candy" and "gummy bear," and the perception that it is a harmless social activity.
Despite being less harmful than traditional cigarettes, vaping is not without risks. Most vapes contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance that can harm the developing adolescent brain, affecting learning, memory, and attention. The long-term effects of inhaling the cocktail of chemicals found in vape liquids are still largely unknown, but respiratory specialists are concerned about the potential for future lung damage. Furthermore, there is a growing debate about whether vaping acts as a "gateway" to smoking cigarettes for young people, potentially reversing decades of progress in reducing smoking rates.
In response to these rising concerns, the New Zealand government has introduced new regulations. As of 2023, new rules restrict the sale of most flavoured vapes to specialist stores and limit the number of vape shops near schools. The aim is to strike a balance: keeping vapes available as a tool for adult smokers wanting to quit, while making them less accessible and appealing to young people. This approach highlights the complexity of the issue. It's a public health dilemma that pits the goal of harm reduction for current smokers against the need to protect a new generation from the risks of nicotine addiction.