Chris Bullen: Professor of Public Health on vaping starting kits being made available from next week

The Government will make vaping starting kits available for free to those wanting to quit smoking from next week. 

The kits will include a vape device and one month’s supply of nicotine pods each month over a three-month period. 

Professor of Public Health at University of Auckland, Chris Bullen tells Tim Beveridge vapes have downsides but are a “really effective tool” in helping smokers quit. 

Bullen says the downside is that people continue to breathe in products that are not completely safe. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks be follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Yes, the professor of Public health at Aukland University, Chris
Bullin's going to join us in just to tick if
your New Year's regent resolution is to quit smoking. The
government are making more help available from next week. Vaping
starting kits will be supplied to stop smoking services across
the country and available for free. The government says vaping
plays a key role in reducing smoking rates, and quitters
will get a vape device and one month's supply of

(00:39):
nicotine pods each month over a three month period, with
continuing support from a stop smoking service. Professor of Public
Health Chris Bollen is with me. I've just got a
little technical problem with connecting to Chris, and here he is, Chris,
Good morning, Happy New Year. How problematic are vapes themselves?

Speaker 3 (01:07):
Well, they do have some downsides, but they are a
really effective quit smoking tool that has led to many
many people in New Zealand who were previously smokers to
quitting smoking, which is one of the best things you
can do for your health. But it's not ideal to
continue vaping for the rest of your life. So there

(01:27):
are some good sides and terms of helping people to
quit smoking. Downsides main one miners people continue to breathe
in products that aren't completely safe, and then there's some
other things like role modeling to kids, vaping behavior, and
the environmental impacts of the used disposable vapest.

Speaker 2 (01:48):
How many people would you expect to make use of
these cats, Well, it's.

Speaker 3 (01:52):
An interesting question. Yeah, I think they're going to be
focused particularly on groups in the population we're smoking as highest,
and that would be mighty and pacific in people with
mental health conditions set to us. So that's where the
intent of support will be required, and I think that
could potentially make a difference, as it has appeared to

(02:15):
already over the last couple of years, smoking rates among
my particularly that dropped dramatically for Marin women, they've switched
to leaping. So if you look at their long term
goal of improving health reducing mortality from smoking, then there's
no question that's stopping smoking and doing something that's less harmful.

(02:36):
There's going to be a win of some sort, but
it's not perfect.

Speaker 2 (02:40):
Should the government keep putting up the duty on cigarettes
at the same time or do you think it's got
far enough.

Speaker 3 (02:47):
Well, that's a real live debate actually, because there is
a fine point between the price of tobacco and illegal
people seeking illegal and smoke or tobacco or selling homegrown products, etc.
So getting that balance right it's tricky, but it is
the most effective way to stop young people smoking, and
it's the most effective way to help people who quit

(03:09):
smoking to think about creating smoking because it's so downe expensive.

Speaker 2 (03:13):
Are you worried about the black market we see emerging
with the high excise taxes duties on cigarettes forcing people
to buy it illicitly.

Speaker 3 (03:23):
Well, we are keeping an eye on that and it
appears to be stable or probably dropping. From time to time,
you'll see a reporting the news about a big interception
at the borders with some smuggled cigarettes. There's no doubt
there are smuggle cigarettes. I'm involved actively in some research
monitoring that on a number of fronts. But what we're
seeing over time this says the number of smokers drops,

(03:46):
the demand for smoking drops, whether it's illegal or legal cigarettes,
and so i'd expect it to tail off.

Speaker 2 (03:52):
Excellent. Hey, thanks very much for your time this morning.
That is Chris Ballin. He's a professor of public health
at Auckland University.

Speaker 1 (03:58):
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