January 11, 2026

#SummerSeries | Vaping, Smokefree Targets and Aotearoa’s Health Debate

Matthew Tukaki Posted On January 11, 2026

Aotearoa New Zealand’s goal to become smokefree by 2025 has captured the nation’s attention – and for many Waatea readers, a deep concern has lingered throughout the year about how vaping fits into that picture.

Health advocates have pointed to vaping as both a tool for quitting smoking and a growing public health challenge in its own right. For many Māori and Pasifika communities, questions remain about whether the harms of nicotine addiction are truly being reduced, or simply shifting into new forms.

In a recent Waatea interview with Jasmine Graham of Hāpai te Hauora, listeners heard a thoughtful conversation on these issues – grounded in community experience, evidence, and a concern for whānau wellbeing. You can listen to the full interview here:

🔗 Listen to the Waatea interview with Jasmine Graham (Hāpai te Hauora):
https://waateanews.com/2025/11/12/jasmine-graham-hapai-te-hauora/

Throughout 2025, Waatea readers consistently expressed unease about the rise of vaping among rangatahi (young people). Many worried that while traditional smoking rates have fallen, e-cigarettes and vaping devices have become more popular – often marketed with appealing flavours, sleek designs, and as a seemingly “safer” habit.

Jasmine Graham highlighted that tobacco harm minimisation remains critical, but the conversation cannot stop at “smoking versus vaping.” She reinforced the need to understand the broader context: nicotine addiction, youth uptake, equitable access to cessation support, and cultural drivers of use. The health implications – especially for young lungs and developing brains – are not yet fully known, and that uncertainty is worrying communities across Aotearoa.

Readers have also shared concern that, despite the smokefree 2025 target being a landmark aspiration for public health, New Zealand is on track to miss key benchmarks, particularly among Māori. While overall smoking has declined significantly in the last decade, disparities persist – and the rise in vaping risks blurring progress rather than accelerating it.

Many Waatea listeners emphasised that tamariki and rangatahi must be protected from nicotine addiction in all forms. They called for:

stronger regulation of vaping products, especially those targeting young people,
better education in schools and communities about nicotine and vaping harms,
and culturally grounded cessation support that reflects the needs of Māori and Pasifika whānau.

Graham’s interview explored these themes with honesty and care – acknowledging both the potential role of vaping in helping smokers quit, but also the very real concern of nicotine dependence being transferred to a younger generation.

As Australia, the UK and other countries grapple with similar questions, Aotearoa’s own experience underscores one clear truth: setting a smokefree goal is only part of the journey – achieving it in a way that protects whānau and reduces inequities is the real challenge.

For listeners and readers who have been following this debate throughout 2025, the conversation with Hāpai te Hauora – and the wider public response – shows that commitment to a smokefree future remains strong, even as new concerns emerge.