Big tobacco/vape - 1 NZ - 0 NZ will retain the 'vaping generation'

Yet another letter..  Excuse the grinding repetition, but it seems essential to keep stating this in one form or another until it cannot be ignored. The tobacco/vape industry being propped up by government will be harder to maintain if the public see it is bad practice healthwise, exploitative, illegal and a huge cost to NZ as a whole. The first Party to demonstrate real leadership in this space will be seen as credible and worth support.

'Dear Editor

Which Party will reflect the first world advice and science on vaping and not the tobacco company mantra that vaping is the best option for quitting tobacco? Vaping may be less dangerous, or may have worse long term effects, but it is also highly addictive and with extremely serious health risks in addition to those of nicotine.
No Party has committed to all three of the following: 1. stating clearly the risks of regular vaping  2. promoting safer methods of quitting tobacco 3. providing real support for quitting both tobacco and vaping.
Addressing these, tightening availability of vapes and banning certain flavours would profoundly change the health and economic outlook for New Zealand, given over half a million regularly vape, and the immense costs to the vapers, who have not even been told of the risks in the vape aerosol, and to NZ at large, through medical costs and impact on employment etc as the predictable damage to airways, lungs and other organs results from the epidemic of vaping throughout the country. Eg COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is already shown to increase by around 2.5 times due to vaping.
The best clinics in the world such as the Cleveland and Mayo clinics and the most authoritative respiratory institutions like the American Lung Association provide the same clear information online about vaping and about quitting both tobacco and vaping safely, as does the US government CDC. None advise vaping as the best tool to quit tobacco, all state clearly the serious risks presented by regular vaping, and all provide considerable support to quit both tobacco and vaping. The NZ government does none of this. The American Cancer Council stated in 2019 that vaping was too dangerous to recommend even as a means to quit tobacco.
New Zealand deserves a leader and government intent on addressing health and the economy. Implementing the best international advice in this area can be quick and inexpensive. Not doing this would demonstrate a weak government, unsuited to administering the health and welfare of New Zealand.'