Wellington stop-smoking provider Takiri Mai Te Ata Trust ended its partnership with Health New Zealand after refusing to promote vaping as a smoking cessation tool. The trust, which has helped people quit smoking for more than 30 years, said it could not continue delivering services in a way that conflicted with its values. Regional manager Catherine Manning said the organization did not support helping people quit cigarettes by transitioning to another nicotine product.
Health New Zealand said it worked extensively with the trust to find a solution that would allow the service to continue without directly supplying vapes, but no agreement was reached, and the contract ended by mutual consent. Health New Zealand maintains that vaping is less harmful than smoking and can help smokers quit, while stressing that non-smokers should not vape. Action for Smokefree 2025 director Ben Youdan said evidence shows vaping can be an effective cessation tool, adding that vaping is “not risk-free” but “dramatically” reduces the risk of death compared with smoking.
Youdan said that while he recognized the trust’s concerns, many organizations have seen real benefits from using vaping as part of smoking cessation efforts.
