Sarah-Jane O'Connor • May 31, 2018 •
It may come as no surprise that at the Science Media Centre we consume a lot of media; it’s very much our job to keep abreast of what’s happening in New Zealand particularly in the science scene. But we also know that for those of you who aren’t eyes-deep in media on a daily basis, it can be hard to … Read More
Public Health Expert • May 31, 2018 •
Richard Edwards, Anaru Waa, Janet Hoek, Louise Thornley, Nick Wilson. ASPIRE 2025, Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington World Smokefree Day is an apt day on which to propose some ideas that may greatly increase momentum for the achieving Smokefree Aotearoa 2025. Tobacco and vaping products such as e-cigarettes vary greatly in their likely adverse health effects … Read More
Eric Crampton • May 25, 2018 •
Last month’s court decision, and subsequent MoH position statement, mean that heat-not-burn tobacco products are legal to sell in New Zealand. But the MoH position statement said that other tobacco control regulations will apply to reduced-risk tobacco and tobacco-derived products, barring the ban on indoor use in workplaces. Therefore, the same SFEA regulatory controls apply to smoked tobacco, heated … Read More
Eric Crampton • May 11, 2018 •
Every time I think that the University of Otago’s Public Health people can’t get any worse, they go and surprise me. Today, the Initiative launched Jenesa Jeram’s excellent report on vaping and reduced-harm alternatives to smoking. It walks through the evidence on the risks of vaping, heat-not-burn products, and snus, and makes some recommendations around liberalising access so that … Read More
Eric Crampton • Apr 16, 2018 •
The Fairfax papers have a good summary out today of what’s going on in vaping – as of a month ago. They write: When British public health experts first said vaping (using e-cigarettes) poses only a fraction of the health risk of tobacco smoking, the trend surged in popularity around the world, including in New Zealand. But it remains illegal … Read More
Eric Crampton • Mar 16, 2018 •
E-cigarettes in New Zealand are in a really interesting spot right now. Last year, the then National-government signalled that a new legal regime for vaping was on its way. At the time, importation of nicotine-containing vaping liquids for personal consumption was allowed, but retail sale within New Zealand was not. That wasn’t to say it didn’t happen, but you kinda … Read More
Public Health Expert • Feb 16, 2018 •
Professor Janet Hoek, Dr Lindsay Robertson, Ms Mei-Ling Blank, Dr Rosalina Richards Although most smokers want to quit, many of those who begin vaping continue to smoke. We recently probed this perplexing ambiguity and explored dual use of cigarettes and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) [1]. In this blog, we summarise our findings and consider interventions that could encourage … Read More
Eric Crampton • Feb 09, 2018 •
New Zealand’s in a fun legal limbo right now on e-cigarettes. Everybody knows that the Ministry of Health is soon to be liberalising, so the de jure restrictions that prevent selling of nicotine-containing e-liquids aren’t being enforced. It’s pretty easy to get vaping liquid. In some ways, whatever regulatory regime comes out of this will be more restrictive than the … Read More
John Kerr • Mar 29, 2017 •
The Government has announced new regulations to allow nicotine containing electronic cigarettes to be sold in New Zealand. Currently e-cigarette devices can be sold in New Zealand but nicotine-containing e-liquid can not (nicotine is a scheduled substance under the Medicines Act), although consumers can purchase e-liquid from overseas for personal use. That is set to change with announcement of … Read More
John Kerr • Oct 26, 2016 •
E-cigarettes may have a part to play in fighting the growing obesity epidemic, say New Zealand researchers. Electronic cigarettes have been welcomed by some, but not all, public health researchers as a potential new tool to help smokers kick the tobacco habit. Now a new commentary published today in Nicotine & Tobacco Research lays out the case for vaping – using e-cigarettes – … Read More