On September 8, according to Vapingpost, as New Zealand’s Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Ayesha Verrall, is preparing to release a discussion paper on a draft action plan to achieve the 2025 smoke-free goal, the e-cigarette advocacy organization Aotearoa Vapers (AVCA) is now Call on the government to urgently reconsider its method of regulating e-cigarettes.

As early as 2011, when "Smoke Free 2025" was launched, people thought it was feasible, although it required serious and thoughtful government planning and intervention. However, nine years later, we are still far apart. "AVCA co-director Nancy Lucas said at a recent press conference.

Lucas pointed out that the recently implemented "Smoke-Free Environment and Controlled Products (Vaping) Amendment Act" will have a counterproductive effect on achieving this goal. "In order to achieve the government's smoke-free goal by 2025, we missed a huge opportunity to make it easier for smokers to obtain risk reduction.

Earlier this year, when the New Zealand Ministry of Health was reviewing the e-cigarette bill, the local cancer society initiated a petition calling for a substantial reduction in the number of tobacco retailers.

However, Lucas said that any tobacco-related actions must be consistent with the national smoke-free action plan.

The final determination of e-cigarette regulations and the smoke-free action plan must not be unilaterally carried out. There is an inherent connection between the two. Electronic cigarettes are an effective tool to achieve smoke-free goals and should be supervised on a proportional basis. As the most effective smoking cessation tool in history, e-cigarettes have been the key to reducing the national smoking rate in the past decade. In the future, encouraging smokers to switch to safer and cheaper e-cigarette products is essential to achieving smoke-free. "Lucas said.

Although like other experts in the field, Lucas recognizes that the realization of a smoke-free plan by 2025 is unlikely, she believes that as the Deputy Minister of Health raises smoke-free as a priority workflow, there is hope for the plan accomplish. “Dr. Verrall is a public health expert and a strong supporter of the return of smoke-free to the right track in 2025. She knows that this will require some drastic measures, and has the knowledge and determination to finally achieve the goal of 2011.” Lucas said.

AVCA believes that the discussion paper on the draft plan to meet New Zealand's smoke-free vision in 2025 needs to focus on providing safer alternatives as a means to reduce the use of combustible tobacco.

It makes sense to reduce the supply of tobacco products, but it does not make sense to reduce the supply of e-cigarette products. The current plan to only allow professionally registered e-cigarette stores to sell a variety of popular adult flavors is crazy. If we want to prevent New Zealanders from smoking again, then the government's plan to restrict the taste of e-cigarettes needs to be removed before it takes effect. We expect that this controversial issue, and how to ensure that more smokers can successfully switch to e-cigarettes, will soon become a unique area of discussion in government documents. "Lucas said.

AVCA also hopes that the authorities will include experts in tobacco harm reduction (THR) in the development of a smoke-free action plan. "In order to be smoke-free, all the right incentives and interventions need to be introduced. If we do not take major measures, New Zealand will no longer be a smoke-free zone in the next 20 years, and Maori will no longer be a smoke-free zone in the next 40 years. It is a smoke-free zone. So, either now or forever.

Lucas pointed out that if the smoke-free discussion paper does not adequately address the government’s smoker policies and regulations, then local ministers should do so. "2021 can be said to be the most critical year starting from smoke-free 2025. We have finalized the influential e-cigarette regulations and formulated a smoke-free action plan. The current government with the absolute majority can act boldly. We are now Hold your breath." She concluded.

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