New Zealand health organisations are backing a World Health Organization push to remove flavours from nicotine products, warning that sweet and fruity vape flavours are putting tamariki and rangatahi at greater risk of addiction.
Kia Manawanui Trust – The Heart of Aotearoa and the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ say flavours such as bubble gum, cotton candy, menthol, sour raspberry, strawberry watermelon and tropical sweet are making nicotine products more attractive to young people.
The organisations say the flavours can mask the harshness of nicotine and encourage experimentation, undermining efforts to reduce addiction and protect long-term health.
The WHO has called for stronger global action on flavoured nicotine products, with countries including Belgium, Denmark and Lithuania already moving to restrict them.
Foundation and Trust Chief Executive Letitia Harding says flavoured nicotine products are being presented in ways that appear harmless, colourful and fun, despite growing evidence of health risks.
Health advocates are raising concerns about the impact vaping may have on both lung and heart health. Research has linked some e-cigarette flavouring chemicals to damage in blood vessel cells, disruption of normal heart rhythms, airway inflammation, respiratory symptoms and reduced lung function.
The issue is particularly significant in Aotearoa, where heart disease remains a leading cause of death and respiratory illness affects one in five people.
Harding says policymakers should be asking what public health benefit is served by nicotine products designed to taste like confectionery. Health groups argue the answer is clear: the main effect is to make addictive products more appealing to young people.
While New Zealand already has some restrictions on vape flavours, Kia Manawanui Trust and the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation say current rules do not go far enough. They say tamariki can still access products with flavours clearly designed to attract younger users.
The organisations are calling on the Government to strengthen restrictions on flavoured nicotine products and place the health of children and young people at the centre of future regulation.
They say flavours intended for food are not the same as chemicals being inhaled into the lungs, and that supporting adult smokers to quit should not come at the expense of exposing tamariki to new forms of nicotine addiction.
The call adds to growing pressure on the Government to tighten vaping rules as communities, schools, whānau and health providers continue to raise concerns about youth vaping across Aotearoa.
