Wellington's main stop-smoking service, which has operated for over 30 years, has announced it will cease operations rather than comply with a government requirement to promote vaping as a smoking cessation tool. The service, whose name was not specified in the source, said it would not promote vaping to maintain its funding from the New Zealand government.
The decision comes amid a broader debate in New Zealand about the role of vaping in tobacco harm reduction. While some health officials endorse vaping as a less harmful alternative to smoking, critics argue that it may lead to nicotine addiction among non-smokers, particularly youth.
According to the source, the service's refusal to promote vaping was a direct factor in its decision to quit. The service had been a key provider of smoking cessation support in the Wellington region for decades.
New Zealand has set an ambitious goal to become smoke-free by 2025, but the path has been contentious, with vaping policies at the center of disagreements between public health experts and community services.
