Editorial: Vaped crusaders - heroes or villains?

Masked behind a veil of vapour, users are enticed by a myriad of flavours and vibrant shop fittings. Photo / Andrew Warner

EDITORIAL

You've probably noticed the change at your local block of shops.

Now Herald on Sunday analysis has found vape stores are more common than many fast food chains near schools, raising fears we are igniting an epidemic of addicted teens.

At least one in four schools - 894 - is within 1km of a vape store, and at least 77 are within 250m, Ministry of Health data collated by the Herald on Sunday reveals.

Already an estimated one in five secondary students is addicted to vaping, according to research by the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation, which surveyed more than 19,000 students in Years 9 to 13.

For the uninitiated, vaping is using an electronic device to heat a liquid and turn it into an aerosol - vapour - which the user inhales. Both vaping and smoking deliver nicotine, but burning tobacco causes the most harm.

Advocates point out vaping does less damage than cigarettes and vape products are an essential tool to reaching a 100 per cent smoke-free New Zealand.

Vaping, however, isn't completely harmless. Vaping liquid (also called e-liquid) typically contains propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine, plus flavours and the option of addictive nicotine.

The official line is vaping can be helpful as a means to quit smoking but concerns are mounting of young people taking to the products without even being enticed to smoke.

Government, Duty Minister Carmel Sepuloni says any reports of young people vaping are "absolutely concerning" and action is being taken to address it.

"Work is under way to discourage youth from vaping. A new health promotion programme from the Ministry of Health, expected to be under way in March 2022, will be aimed at rangatahi and focused on supporting youth to make the decision not to vape," Sepuloni said.

There's little doubt officials have been playing catch-up on vaping. The outlets for imported products exploded while health experts were weighing their merits. Persons under 18 are not allowed to buy vape products and more regulations have been added over recent years.

But emergency medicine specialist Dr John Bonning says we are replacing one addiction with another. The evidence before our eyes is hard to deny.