NZ health expert labels campaign against e-cigarettes as “ridiculous”, “crazy”

Ordering nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes off the shelves in Auckland, New Zealand, has been described as “ridiculous” by a health official and respected anti-smoking campaigner, according to a story by Matthew Theunissen for the Herald on Sunday.

Despite their sale being illegal according to Ministry of Health rules, electronic cigarettes containing nicotine have been widely available over the counter in Auckland.

But in the past few weeks, the ministry has dispatched smoke-free enforcement officers to inform retailers such sales are prohibited.

Public health specialist, Dr Murray Laugesen, who has been researching electronic cigarettes since 2007, labelled the ministry’s decision “ridiculous” and said it would drive people back to smoking tobacco.

He said electronic cigarettes were less harmful than were traditional cigarettes, a view shared by the World Health Organization.

“The ministry itself says half of combustible cigarette smokers will die from smoking so what is being set up is a ridiculous policy which enables people to keep on smoking something which is going to kill them,” said Laugesen. “It’s a crazy policy.”