A new study has found that adult smoking rates in New Zealand have fallen at a record pace, with researchers pointing to tobacco harm reduction strategies, including increased vaping, as a key factor behind the decline.
The study, published in The Lancet Regional Health in June, found that the annual decline in adult smoking prevalence accelerated from 3.5 percent before 2018 to 17.9 percent between 2018 and 2023, representing a fivefold increase.
Researchers Robert Beaglehole, Ruth Bonita and Ben Youdan said statistical analysis confirmed that the period beginning in 2018 marked a significant acceleration compared with previous trends.
The authors linked the decline to developments around 2019, including the growing use of vaping products and New Zealand’s Ministry of Health recognizing vaping as a substantially less harmful alternative to smoking and as a tool to help smokers quit cigarettes.
The study noted that the increase in vaping coincided with the faster decline in smoking rates.
Researchers also emphasized the distinction between vaping and combustible tobacco, arguing that the primary health risks come from burning tobacco rather than nicotine itself. They said public health policies should focus on reducing exposure to combustible cigarettes, which account for most tobacco-related diseases.
The study reviewed New Zealand’s tobacco control efforts over the past two decades. After ratifying the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2004, the country implemented smoke-free public spaces, graphic health warnings and higher tobacco taxes. While those measures reduced smoking rates, the decline was slower than that recorded after 2018.
According to the researchers, New Zealand would likely have missed its goal of becoming “Smokefree 2025” by several decades had earlier trends continued.
Smoking prevalence has now fallen to below 7 percent of the adult population, with the remaining smokers concentrated largely among older adults with long-term smoking histories, particularly within the Māori community. The study noted that smoking rates among Māori were cut in half over six years.
The researchers concluded that conventional tobacco control policies can be strengthened by tobacco harm reduction strategies and said continued progress will require targeted interventions and regulations that reflect the varying risks posed by different nicotine products.