Dear Health New Zealand,

The following questions are based on information supplied by Health NZ on the following website:
https://www.wdhb.org.nz/our-community/ou...

These statements are also found on the following Health NZ websites (and further websites not referred to here):
https://vapingfacts.health.nz/
https://healthed.govt.nz/products/vaping...

Given the current evidence, scientific studies, WHO reports and worldwide statistics and those in NZ, please can answers to the following questions be provided.

1. What is the scientific basis for the following statements on the Health NZ website.
a) “Using a vape can help smokers quit as it is much less harmful than smoking cigarettes.”
b) “Vaping is not harmless but it is much less harmful than smoking.”
c) “Vaping enables people to get nicotine without the toxins produced by burning tobacco.”
d) “Vaping can help some people quit smoking.”
e) “Vaping is not harmless, but it is much less harmful than smoking.”
f) “Vaping is less harmful to those around you than smoking, as there’s no current evidence that second-hand vapour is dangerous to others.”
g) “A vape device heats a liquid (often containing nicotine) to produce an aerosol (or a vapour) that can be inhaled. The vapour delivers nicotine to the user in a way that is relatively free of other chemicals.”

Please cite the independent scientific studies (not sponsored by the Tobacco industry) and statistics used by Health NZ to formulate these statements.

2. Does Health NZ standby the following statements on the Health NZ website:
a) “It is not possible to say from current evidence that vaping causes people to smoke.”
b) “There is no evidence that vaping is normalising smoking.”
c) “In New Zealand youth smoking rates continue to decline and daily use of vaping devices is rare and is largely confined to those who have smoked.”
d) “There is no evidence yet that second-hand vapour is dangerous to others, however it is best to not vape around children.”

Please cite the independent scientific studies (not sponsored by the Tobacco industry) and statistics used by Health NZ to formulate these statements.

3. Is Health NZ still confident to promote vaping as a cessation tool, in particular with these statements on the Health NZ website:
a) “Vaping is different to smoking a cigarette; it is important to persevere with vaping as it may take time to work out what vaping style and e-liquid work best for you.
b) “Talk to the staff at specialist vape shops about the best way to vape when you’re trying to quit.
c) “You will probably need to experiment in order to find the right combination of device, e-liquid and nicotine strength that work for you.
d) “Don’t give up on vaping if at first it doesn’t work. It may take some experimentation with different products and e-liquids to find the right one.”

Please cite the independent scientific studies (not sponsored by the Tobacco industry) and statistics that support these statements.

Please cite any independent scientific studies (not sponsored by the Tobacco industry) that provide evidence to Health NZ that vaping is an effective smoking cessation tool.

Yours faithfully,

D Towell