A survey on smoking shows that vaping is the most popular method for Kiwi smokers to kick the habit.

See a summary of key findings here. 

A Talbot Mills Research survey conducted on behalf of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) polled 623 current smokers and 1,070 former smokers. 

ASH Director Ben Youdan says the findings show vaping is the primary method people are using to quit smoking but warns that misperceptions around vapes appear to be pushing many smokers back to tobacco. 

Three out of four people incorrectly believed nicotine is extremely or very harmful, almost the same proportion that correctly thought the same about tobacco smoke. Less than one-third believe vaping can help people stop smoking. 

“People are confused and wrongly think nicotine is as harmful as tobacco smoke. Nicotine keeps people smoking, but it is inhaling the smoke that is deadly. Deadly enough that tobacco smoke kills two out of three users.”

“There is extremely high quality evidence that vapes are one of the most effective quit tools, largely because they help manage nicotine addiction without the massive harms from smoking. 

“Less than one-in-three current and former smokers agreed ‘vapes are less harmful than cigarettes’. Although not completely risk free, there is strong evidence that vaping presents a small fraction of the harm compared with smoked tobacco,” said Youdan. 

“Incorrect perceptions of risk are causing harm. Almost half of smokers who quit using a vape gave concerns about the health risk of vaping as a reason to return to smoking. 

“Most worrying is the number of people who use smoking to quit vaping (14%). This is not just a trivial misunderstanding, it’s misinformation to the point of significant harm. Public health needs to urgently get back on track with clear honest communication,” says Youdan.  

Notes: 

Results in this report are based on questions asked in Talbot Mills Research’s nationwide online omnibus, which interviews approximately 100 New Zealanders aged 18 and over each day. Fieldwork closed once n=623 current smokers had been interviewed (n=1,070 former smokers, n=2291 total).

Key findings:

Support to quit smoking

• 43% of current and former smokers who had made a serious quit attempt in the last year used a vape to help them stop smoking in their most recent attempt. 
• 27% of current and former smokers who had made a serious quit attempt in the last year used nicotine replacement therapy to help them stop smoking in their most recent attempt. 
• 10% of current and former smokers who had made a serious quit attempt in the last year used a stop smoking service to help them stop smoking in their most recent attempt.
• 11% of current and former smokers who had made a serious quit attempt in the last year used the Quitline to help them stop smoking in their most recent attempt.

Perceptions vaping and nicotine risk

• 31% of current smokers agreed with the statement ‘Vapes are less harmful than cigarettes’
• 19%  of the general public agreed with the statement ‘Vapes are less harmful than cigarettes’
• 71% of the general public believe nicotine is extremely or very harmful to a person’s health
• 75% of the general public believe that tobacco smoke is extremely or very harmful to a person’s health.

Relapse to smoking

• 46% of current smokers who used a vape in their most recent quit attempt gave concerns about vaping harms as a reason for returning to smoking
• 14% of current smokers who used a vape in their most recent quit attempt said they returned to smoking to quit vaping. 

For help stopping smoking, including help using a vape to quit, or for help quitting vaping find your stop smoking service at: https://www.smokefree.org.nz/ or call Quitline on:  0800 778 778 or text 4006

You can also talk to your stop smoking service about a free vape starter kit for stopping smoking.