Harm Reduction Message from NZ Government.

Government Subsidies for Smokers to make the Switch to Vaping for Harm Reduction

AVCA was greatly pleased to see MP Marama Fox state in an interview with NewsHub that she would like to see the government assist smokers switch to vaping for cessation purposes.  Her support of our programs, specifically the Vape It Forward program that has been trialled and wildly successful in Wairarapa and our outreach and collaboration with the smoking cessation service providers, is priceless.  As is her acknowledgement and recognition that the vapers of New Zealand, through AVCA, as key stakeholders in the process of legalisation of nicotine e liquid.  We thank her and all those who are in support of vaping and e-cigarettes in government, healthcare and the Ministry of Health.

Whilst we do not know yet the exact particulars of the subsidies that MP Fox mentioned, we are sure that they will fit within the aims of helping assist Maori and all New Zealanders to become SmokeFree by 2025 by legalising nicotine e liquid as a consumer product, with no additional excises being applied to the liquid or equipment that is currently being used by thousands of New Zealanders to kick the habit of combustible smoking.

AVCA have been a strong supporter and voice of having regulation to legalise nicotine e liquid for retail sale in New Zealand, and have worked side by side with the members of the vendor association, VTANZ (www.vtanz.org.nz) to self regulate the industry for the benefit of consumers in terms of safety, well being and harm reduction.   We look forward to the government taking the next steps to increase accessiblility to everyone in New Zealand towards the technology that will get Aotearoa SmokeFree by 2025.

It is more than time for the Ministry of Health to prioritise the regulations to get nicotine e liquid legalised in New Zealand for access, accountability and the promotion of public health.

Nancy Sutthoff
Nancy comes from a diverse administrative background that includes surgical research administration, teaching (primary and tertiary level), executive administration and community property management. For over 15 years she has been very active in community advocacy with youth, lower income folk needing advocacy and now, vaping advocacy. She brings a wealth of scientific, medical and research administrative/management knowledge with her to her role as CEO/Director at AVCA.