The Facts: Vaping surpasses smoking, yet study indicates potential slowdown

Summarised by Centrist 

In New Zealand, daily vaping has overtaken daily smoking for the first time, according to the New Zealand Health Survey (6,799 participants, ages 15+). 

While the combined rate of daily smoking and vaping has slightly decreased to 16.5%, daily vaping has surged to nearly 10%, especially among young adults aged 18-24, with a rate of 22.9%. Of concern is the increase in daily vapers who have never smoked, rising from 7% in 2017/18 to 18% in 2021/22.

Meanwhile The ASH Year 10 Snapshot Survey (29,260 participants, all year 10 students) reports stable daily smoking rates at 1.2% but shows daily vaping at 10%, with a decline in regular vaping among 14/15-year-olds. These findings suggest a need to shift the focus on smoking’s harms  to also cover vaping, especially due to its popularity among young people.

Read more over at The Facts