Vaping may be as likely to act as a gateway to smoking as it is to help people quit, a new study has found.
The research, published this morning by the University of Otago in the Drug and Alcohol Review, found no consistent evidence of vapes helping smokers quit the habit. Instead, it found frequent transitions between smoking to vaping and vice versa.
One of the study's leaders, Otago postgraduate student Andre Mason, said vaping was once "hailed a new tool to help people quit smoking, but to date that evidence has been inconsistent".
"Contrary to the desired hope, vaping appears to have emerged as just another smoking-related behaviour rather than a substitute for smoking that primarily helps people quit," Mason said.
While over time the three year study found the prevalence of those smoking decreased, there was a lack of evidence that vaping helped play a part and it was likely due to marketing campaigns pointing out health risks and the increased cost of cigarettes.
"Furthermore, and perhaps more concerningly, vaping appeared to be equally as likely to increase the uptake of cigarette smoking as it was to have a cessation effect," Mason said.
"This supports the arguments that policy discussions cannot simply focus on a one-directional consideration of harm reduction, in this case that if vaping is less harmful than cigarettes, then vaping can be less regulated to enable smokers to switch to healthier behaviours."
It comes as Ministry of Health statistics showed the number of 15 to 17 year olds who vaped every day had quadrupled in three years, from 2% in 2018-19 to 8% in 2021-22.
Increasing numbers of people who had never smoked cigarettes but were addicted to vaping were being directed to stop smoking programmes Ready Steady Quit and Quitline, Te Whatu Ora Health NZ told RNZ earlier this week.
It advised those wanting to reduce their nicotine consumption to speak to their GP or a specialist vape retailer.
Earlier this month, the Government announced measures to curb youth vaping, including banning most disposable vapes and not allowing new vape shops to set up near schools.
Correction: This story originally said vaping acted as a gateway to smoking for non-smokers. The study, in fact, said it may act as a gateway. The story has been corrected.
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