Vaping

Vaping is the use of an electronic device that heats a liquid turning it into an aerosol (vapour) which the person inhales. Vape devices are also known as e-cigarettes or vapes. Vaping liquids often contain chemicals, flavours and nicotine. They do not burn tobacco or produce tar or carbon monoxide. Read about the different vaping devices here.(external link)

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Video: A Spotlight on Vaping series

In response to growing calls from concerned parents and educators, the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation New Zealand has launched this educational video series. This video may take a few moments to load.

(Asthma and Respiratory Foundation New Zealand, NZ, 2022)

Although more research is needed into the long-term effects, we do know that the risks of smoking are likely to be much greater than the risks of vaping BUT there are still risks to your health from vaping. That means it's better to switch from smoking to vaping, but if you don't smoke, don't start vaping. Read here about how to best switch to vaping, to quit smoking(external link) and read the section below on the Side effects of vaping.

Avoid vaping if you are pregnant

The vapour contains cytotoxic (harmful to cells) and carcinogenic (cancer-causing) chemicals that can harm unborn babies. The best thing for the health of you and your baby is to quit smoking and if you don’t smoke, don’t vape while pregnant. If you are struggling to become tobacco free, there are safe treatments for use in pregnancy called nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). Read about NRT here.

Seek support and advice through your local stop smoking service, doctor, midwife or Quitline, and talk to others who have successfully quit. Find support services here.
 

Image credit: Canva

Don't vape around children

Even though the nicotine in e-cigarettes poses little danger for adult smokers, it can be lethal (cause someone to die) if taken in large amounts. So, it’s important to keep e-cigarettes and e-liquids somewhere that children can’t reach. By not vaping around children, you can also avoid them from starting vaping. There are worrying numbers of children who have started vaping but were not previously smoking. Read about How to talk to your kids about vaping.

Vaping products manufactured from tobacco and heated tobacco products can be legally sold in Aotearoa New Zealand. However, under the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Vaping) Amendment Act 2020(external link) (the Amendment Act) most advertising of these products is banned and it's illegal to sell them to young people under 18 years of age.

From March 2024, Ministry of Health laws(external link) mean reusable vaping products must comply with maximum nicotine levels and have flavour names limited to 2 words. From October 2024 all vaping devices will have to have a removable battery and a child safety mechanism.

The Amendment Act strikes a balance between ensuring vaping products are available for smokers who want to switch to a less harmful alternative, and ensuring these products aren’t marketed or sold to young people.

The Amendment Act does this by regulating the safety of vaping products and placing controls on the marketing, advertising and promotion of vaping products. Read more about vaping law and policy here.(external link)

There are a number of different ways to quit smoking: cold turkey (just stopping completely), nicotine replacement therapies (NRT), other stop smoking medications or vaping.

No vaping device has yet been approved as an official stop-smoking medicine and although vaping’s much less harmful than smoking, it’s not harmless. So you should plan to eventually quit vaping too, but only when you know you won’t go back to smoking. A recent study shows that vaping is almost twice as effective as NRTs in helping smokers quit. If you decide to use vaping to quit smoking follow the tips below:

• plan to eventually quit vaping too but only when you know you won't go back to smoking
• stop smoking completely
• reduce the amount of nicotine in the vaping liquid over time
• keep getting behavioural support, such as through Quitline.

There are short term and long term side effects to vaping. The most commonly-reported side effects are throat/mouth irritation, headache, cough, and nausea. These usually go away once vaping has stopped.

Although the long term side effects associated with vaping are not yet fully known, there is growing evidence to show that these products are not harm free. Read more here.(external link)

Nicotine is addictive and is in many vape products. the addiction to nicotine can make you feel irritable, restless, unable to concentrate, and most people experience cravings when they go without it. Having it takes away these symptoms, and this can keep you stuck in a cycle of addiction. Read more about nicotine and vaping.(external link)

If you or someone you know has experienced an adverse reaction to a vaping product, you should report it to the New Zealand Pharmacovigilance Centre(external link) as soon as possible. This will help the Vaping Regulatory Authority monitor the safety of notifiable products on sale in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Clinical resources

Vaping carries much less health risks than smoking tobacco and there is some evidence that it may aid successful smoking cessation. There is limited evidence and no Medsafe‑approved eCigarette.

Vaping facts(external link) Te Hiringa Hauora & Ministry of Health, NZ, 2022
Smoke and mirrors – is vaping useful for smokers who cannot quit?(external link) BPAC, NZ, 2018
Vaping - smokefree environments and regulated products(external link) Ministry of Health, NZ, 2020

For other clinician resources on quitting smoking see Smoking – treatments for quitting smoking.

Continuing professional development

Video: PHARMAC seminar: Smokefree 2025, 5 of 6. Beginners guide to eCigarettes, vaping (40 minutes)

(Pharmac)

Video: PHARMAC seminar: Smokefree 2025, 6 of 6. Hands on guide to vaping devices (25 minutes)

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(Pharmac)

Video: Goodfellow Unit Webinar: Vaping

This video may take a few moments to load.

(Goodfellow Unit Webinar, 2018)