A new survey of over 30,000 Year 10 students in New Zealand indicates a significant decline in teen vaping, suggesting the trend has passed its peak. According to the latest data from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), the number of teenagers vaping regularly (at least once a month) has halved since reaching a high of 20.2% in 2021.
Daily vaping rates have also dropped to 7.1%, down from 10.1% in 2022. ASH chairperson Emeritus Professor Robert Beaglehole noted, "Vaping is not as cool as it used to be," attributing the decline partly to regulations banning sales to under-18s implemented in 2020. He celebrated the "major global success" of youth smoking rates falling to a negligible 1%, but warned against over-regulation that could hinder adult smokers using vapes to quit.
Despite the positive overall trend, concerns persist regarding equity. Beaglehole highlighted that 16.5% of Māori teenagers still vape daily, calling for targeted action. Associate Professor Andrew Waa from Otago University echoed this, describing the accessibility of vapes for young Māori and Pacific peoples as "an entirely preventable inequity" and raising concerns that some teens might be switching to oral nicotine products instead. He urged a shift towards a "nicotine-free future" for youth.
