Listen Now: 
Download AudioUniversity of Otago public health researchers will ask rangatahi Māori their views on vaping in a new three year, $1.2 million study funded by the Health Research Council.
The researchers say government policies have done little to address risk of rangatahi taking up vapes, reflecting a Western biomedical perspective on harm and overlooking more holistic perspectives advocated by Māori.
Research manager Lani Teddy says New Zealand’s softly softly approach is confusing for many young people.
“Vaping is seen as a smoking cessation tool so there is a message out there that it is less harmful than tobacco smoking. Some young people interpret that to mean it is harmless which is a different thing altogether so if you have never smoked ands then you take up vaping, the harm you experience is not comparted to the harm you get from actually smoking a cigarette,” she says.
Ms Teddy says rangitahi should be involved in decision making about vaping and tobacco.
RELATED NEWS
