New Zealand - Tobacco Reporter

New Zealand Urged to Rethink Disposables Ban

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) is urging New Zealand to reconsider its proposed vaping regulations, which include a ban on closed systems, tighter limits on displays in retail shops and new flavor restrictions.

“This amendment will make it more difficult for adults who smoke to access vaping products, potentially pushing them back to smoking,” said CAPHRA Executive Coordinator Nancy Loucas. “It’s a step backward in our journey toward a smoke-free New Zealand.”

The CAPHRA submission highlights several concerns. According to the advocacy group, the ban disproportionately affects older adults and those with dexterity issues who rely on simpler closed systems. The proposed display restrictions, says CAPHRA, may deter smokers from switching to less harmful alternatives. Meanwhile, the focus on further display restrictions in retail shops ignores the real issue of social supply to youth, according to the organization, while flavor restrictions could hinder successful smoking cessation efforts.

“Consumers have the right to make informed choices about their health. This amendment proposes to restrict consumer autonomy and may hinder harm reduction efforts,” said Loucas.

“Even the Ministry of Health suggested that the regulations, as they are, are fit for purpose, and the ASH Year 10 survey has shown that youth vaping has declined from the peak a couple of years ago.

“CAPHRA calls for a more balanced approach, focusing on education and transparent risk communication. By highlighting the facts about vaping, who it is for and what it is, we can combat misinformation and support public health,” said Loucas.

September 16, 2024

Activists Decry Kiwi Disposables Ban

Vaping activists have expressed concern about New Zealand’s decision to ban disposable e-cigarettes.

The New Zealand Ministry of Health announced the ban with the intention of reducing adolescent vaping. The new regulations prohibit the manufacture and sale of all non-rechargeable and non-refillable vapes, including single-use containers such as pre-filled tanks, pods and cartridges.

The World Vapers Alliance (WVA) warned that the ban could undermine New Zealand’s progress in reducing smoking rates.

“Preventing teenagers from using nicotine products is essential, and strict age regulations should be enforced to achieve this goal,” said WVA Policy Manager Alberto Gómez Hernández in a statement.

“However, banning disposable vapes and various pod systems for adult consumers will have negative public health implications and jeopardize the progress towards a smoke-free society achieved in the last decade. This approach fails to recognize the vital role disposable vaping products play in helping smokers transition away from cigarettes.”

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) expressed similar reservations. “We understand and support the government’s intent to curb youth vaping,” said CAPHRA Executive Coordinator Nancy Loucas.

“However, the proposed ban on disposable vaping products, including prefilled tanks, pods and cartridges, will create substantial barriers for adults who smoke and older vapers. Many of these individuals rely on simpler, disposable products due to difficulties with dexterity and the complexities of refillable devices. This ban could force them back to smoking cigarettes, which is counterproductive to the Smokefree 2025 goal.”

August 9, 2024

New Zealand Reserves Funds for HTP Tax Cut

The government of New Zealand will set aside NZD216 million ($127.39 million) to pay for tax cuts on heated tobacco products (HTPs), reports Radio New Zealand.

Earlier this month, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced a 50 percent cut to HTP excise taxes, arguing that doing so would encourage cigarette smokers to migrate to less unhealthy nicotine products.

A paper released on the health ministry’s website shows the Cabinet agreed in May to set aside NZD216 million to cover the estimated lost revenue.

Philip Morris International, which owns the bestselling HTP product in New Zealand, has long argued that tax levels should reflect the relative risk levels of tobacco products.

However, the Cabinet paper noted it was unclear whether the tax break would be passed on to consumers due to the monopolistic nature of the market.

Costello said that she expected the industry to reduce the cost of its heating products. “I’m expecting the excise reduction to pass to consumers; this is what we were advised would happen by officials and it is something we will also be monitoring,” she was quoted as saying.

New Zealand tax authorities collected NZD3.62 million in 2022 and NZD5.97 million in 2023 from HTPs.

Earlier this year Costello scrapped laws that would have slashed the number of tobacco retailers, removed 95 percent of the nicotine from cigarettes and aimed to create a smoke-free generation by banning sales to those born after 2009.

Critics have expressed concern about links between the tobacco industry and Costello’s New Zealand First party. Two senior corporate communication positions at PMI are held by people who previously held senior roles in the New Zealand First.

July 30, 2024

New Zealand Halves HTP Taxes

New Zealand has halved taxes on heated-tobacco products (HTPs) to make the products more attractive as cigarette alternatives, reports RNZ.

A spokesman said Customs Minister Casey Costello, who ordered the tax cut, hopes the move will encourage smokers to switch to less risky nicotine products.

In a statement to RNZ, Costello said that vaping had been a successful quit-smoking tool and she wanted to see whether HTPs would also be a useful cessation device.

“Vaping does not work for everyone, and some attempting to quit have tried several times. HTPs have a similar risk profile to vapes, and they are currently legally available, so we are testing what impact halving excise on those products makes.”

Critics said the government had caved to tobacco lobbying.

In 2018, Philip Morris International, which sells the market-leading IQOS HTP brand, told the Tax Working Group that the government should “establish a tax rate for heated-tobacco products significantly below the tax rate” for tobacco.

Earlier this year, New Zealand’s government scrapped the previous administration’s generational tobacco ban, which would have banned sales of tobacco products to anyone born after Jan. 1, 2009, required tobacco companies to lower the nicotine content of their products and reduced the number of tobacco retailers by 90 percent, among other measures.

The current government appears to be more receptive to tobacco harm reduction measures advocated by the industry and others.

Costello is reportedly also considering whether allowing the sale of oral nicotine products, such as snus and nicotine pouches, would help New Zealand achieve is smoking reduction objectives.

Her colleagues at the Ministry of Health have expressed reservations, however, saying there was “weak evidence” that snus helped people quit smoking. “The risk of feeling addicted may be higher for snus than for smoked tobacco. Use of snus may increase the risk of certain cancers.”

“On balance, we do not recommend extending the range of nicotine products available for sale in New Zealand,” the health ministry was quoted as saying. “Additional products will likely compound existing concerns about young peoples’ addiction to nicotine for little benefit.”

BAT, which owns the Velo and Lyft brands of nicotine pouches, has lobbied the government for the products to be legalized here.

“The government’s failure to also include smoke-free oral nicotine products in the same regulatory framework as vaping products presents a significant missed opportunity for advancing Smoke-Free 2025,” it said in a 2021 submission on the government’s smoke-free plans.

July 18, 2024

New Zealand Warnings Losing Bite: Study

Research out of New Zealand has found that graphic health warnings on tobacco packages are no longer motivating smokers to quit, reports RNZ.

According to Lani Teddy, University of Otago research fellow, the warnings have not been refreshed since 2018 and have lost their impact.

“For example, many on-pack warnings feature diseased organs that participants found difficult to recognize. They felt messages that recognized them as whole people would create greater empathy and do more to encourage them to quit,” Teddy said in a statement.

The study found that consumers were avoiding looking at the health warnings and did not feel that they would be personally harmed by using the products. According to Teddy, smokers were more likely to care about cost, stress of addiction and how their smoking affected their loved ones.

“Other countries are moving ahead with additional product design policies,” said Janet Hoek, research co-leader. “Canada has introduced warnings on individual cigarettes, a move that Australia is also considering. Australia has brought in new regulations that allow for filter regulations and is banning the use of flavor capsules, which make smoking more appealing to young people.”

Hoek said the packaging should include details on how to quit smoking.

“The repeal of the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act 2023 has left a policy vacuum,” Hoek said. “The government should demonstrate its commitment to the Smoke-Free 2025 goal by adopting international best practice in both tobacco product and packaging measures.

“At the very least, the government should maximize the impact that existing measures, such as on-pack warnings, could have and complement these with advice that will help people quit.”

June 12, 2024

New Zealand to Ban Disposables

New Zealand will ban the sale of disposable e-cigarettes, increase fines for retailers caught selling to those under the age of 18 and better regulate retailers, reports Reuters.

Following a rollback of the planned generational tobacco ban, the government has stated that it is committed to reducing smoking, though it is taking a different approach, which includes more regulation of vaping.

“While vaping has contributed to a significant fall in our smoking rates, the rapid rise in youth vaping has been a real concern for parents, teachers and health professionals,” said Casey Costello, associate minister of health.

“The coalition government is committed to tackling youth vaping and to continue to drive down smoking rates to achieve the smoke-free goal of less than 5 percent of the population smoking daily by 2025,” said Costello.

The new rules will include higher fines for retailers selling to underage individuals, a review of vape retailer licensing and a ban of all disposable vapes.

March 20, 2024

New Zealand to Scrap Generational Ban Today

New Zealand was set to repeal its generational tobacco ban today, reports Reuters.

Scheduled to take effect from July, the measure would have banned sales of tobacco products to anyone born after Jan. 1, 2009, required tobacco companies to lower the nicotine content of their products and reduced the number of tobacco retailers by 90 percent.

Conceived by New Zealand’s previous government, the ban was abandoned after elections in October 2023 brought to power a new coalition. By treating the repeal as a matter of urgency, the government can scrap the ban without seeking public comment.

New Zealand’s reversal has attracted fierce criticism from public health advocates, who claimed the new government was doing the tobacco industry’s bidding.

“This is major loss for public health and a huge win for the tobacco industry—whose profits will be boosted at the expense of Kiwi lives,” Boyd Swinburn, co-chair of Health Coalition Aotearoa in New Zealand, was quoted as saying by Reuters.

Minister of Health Shane Reti has defended New Zealand’s plans to repeal the smoke-free legislation. He said his administration was committed to cutting smoking rates and referred to the potential of harm reduction tools such as vaping to help achieve the desired reductions.

February 27, 2024

Kiwi Ministers Asked to Disclose Tobacco Links

Health activists have asked New Zealand’s government ministers do disclose any links to the tobacco industry, noting that the politicians’ rhetoric is strikingly similar to the industry’s key talking points, reports the New Zealand Herald.

The call comes follows the dramatic reversal of New Zealand’s generational tobacco ban legislation by the country’s recently installed coalition government. Last week, said Associate Health Minister Casey Costello drew fire for suggesting a temporary halt to tobacco tax increases in consideration of smokers’ socioeconomic backgrounds—an argument that has also been raised by tobacco allies on occasion.

In a briefing published Jan. 31 by the Public Health Communications Center, three University of Otago public health academics highlight links between government members of parliament and the industry and similarities between their public statements.

The paper points out that the government is a signatory to the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which requires member states to engage with tobacco companies only for regulatory purposes, while recording and disclosing any interactions.

Janet Hoek, the co-director of smoke-free research group Aspire2025, stressed she and her colleagues were not accusing ministers of a conflict of interest. “Our call is simply for full transparency,” she was quoted as saying.

According to Hoek, there is little popular support for the government’s repeal of the smoke-free legislation, which would have reduced the number of retailers selling tobacco, reduced nicotine levels in cigarettes and banned sales to anyone born after 2009.

The paper lists the government’s past and current links to the industry, including two former NZ First staffers, David Broome and Apirana Dawson, who had gone on to work at tobacco giant Philip Morris International.

Under questioning in Parliament on Jan 30, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he was not aware of any ministers receiving donations from anyone associated with the tobacco industry. He added he expected all ministers would comply with their obligations to report potential conflicts.

February 1, 2024

Kiwi Tax Freeze Proposal Gets Backlash

A proposal to freeze tobacco excise taxes for three years has triggered a fierce backlash in New Zealand, according to Radio New Zealand.

Associate health minister Casey Costello came under heavy political fire after she suggested temporarily halting tobacco tax increases in consideration of smokers’ socioeconomic backgrounds. Smokers tend to earn lower wages than the population at large.

Health Coalition Aotearoa co-chairperson Boyd Swinburn said such a move would make tobacco products more accessible.

“This proposal from Costello to put a three-year freeze on this inflation-adjusted excise tax is essentially meaning that tobacco is going to get relatively cheaper over the next three years, because it won’t be keeping pace with the rest of inflation,” he said.

Swinburn called on Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to take action.

“The Health Coalition is calling for [Costello] to be replaced as an associate minister of health, given all these policies she’s come out with which are really supporting the tobacco industry’s position.”

Action on Smoking and Health Director Ben Youden said the Costello’s proposal did not make much sense.

“Given the finance minister has stated last year that tobacco tax is an important revenue, it seems odd that a freeze on excise tax would be on the table.”

Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ chief executive Letitia Harding called Costello’s proposal “outrageous,” adding that it amounted to another win for the tobacco industry.

The current coalition government has been criticized for tobacco-friendly policies. One of the first actions upon taking power in late 2023 was to ditch the country’s controversial generational tobacco ban.

January 26, 2024

New Zealand Smoking at All-Time Low

The smoking rate among New Zealand adults has dropped to an all-time low, reports the New Zealand Herald, citing data from a new Ministry of Health survey. The poll also revealed that one in 10 Kiwi adults vape daily, with rates highest among young people and Maori.

The annual New Zealand Health Survey recorded 6.8 percent of adults as being daily smokers, down from 8.6 percent last year.

Daily smoking also declined sharply among ethnic groups, with Maori’ rates dropping from 37.7 percent to 17.1 percent and Pacific peoples’ rates dropping from 22.6 percent to 6.4 percent.

Daily vaping among New Zealanders increased from 2.6 percent in 2017-2019 to 9.7 percent this year. Young people were most likely to vape daily (25.2) percent and young Maori had the highest rates (23.5 percent) among different ethnic groups.

Letitia Harding, chief executive of the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ, described the doubling of daily vaping among teenagers as a public health crisis. “What we are witnessing is an epidemic that needs immediate attention to address such alarming statistics,” she was quoted as saying.

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA), by contrast, credited vaping for helping drive down New Zealand’s smoking rates.

“New Zealand’s ambitious goal of becoming smoke-free by 2025 is well underway, with comprehensive tobacco control legislation, targeted interventions, and a focus on tobacco harm reduction products playing a crucial role”, said CAPHRA Executive Coordinator Nancy Loucas.

“This shift toward less harmful nicotine products is a key part of New Zealand’s world-leading approach to tobacco harm reduction”, said Loucas.

December 18, 2023

Tag: New Zealand