It’s alarming to see how quickly vaping has spread across youth not only in New Zealand but in Central Otago. 

At local parties, it’s not uncommon to see around 70 per cent of young attendees vaping. 

What started as an alternative for smokers has quickly turned into a popular product for teens, who struggle to see that vaping has negative health risks. 

This may sound familiar to some older readers, who may have once thought the same thing about smoking.

“Vaping has been pitched as a positive alternative to smoking so I honestly don’t see it as being harmful to me,” one local teen told me.

Vaping was originally pushed as a safer, healthier alternative to smoking with the hopes of New Zealand becoming smoke-free by 2025, but two years later we have a new problem on our hands. 

A new generation of young people has taken up vaping thanks in part to marketing aimed at young people. 

The appealing flavours - bubblegum, cola, and tutti frutti - and enticing marketing campaigns targeted at adolescents have led to an alarming rise in underage vaping (a recent survey by ASH New Zealand found daily vaping among 13 to 14-year-olds had shot up by 209 per cent).

Both Alexandra and Cromwell have one specialised vape store; however, teens can buy vapes and pods at most supermarkets and dairies. 

Information about the risks of vaping is readily available but it’s falling on deaf ears.  

That’s because we won’t see a noticeable difference in youth vaping levels until society and the government start treating vapes like cigarettes.

It is crucial to address this issue responsibly and implement strict regulations to prevent underage access. 

Nicotine, commonly found in vapes, is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development. 

But vaping is less harmful to those around you than smoking, as there's no current evidence that second-hand vapour is dangerous to others. 

And - the recent rise in youth vaping does not negate the potential benefits of vaping for adult smokers. Effective regulations must strike a balance between preventing youth initiation and ensuring adult smokers have access to a less harmful alternative.

To fully harness the potential of vaping as a harm reduction tool, it is vital to implement comprehensive regulations and quality control measures. Ensuring product safety, accurate labelling, and responsible marketing practices will contribute to minimising potential risks. By fostering a transparent and well-regulated industry, policymakers can help maximise the positive impact of vaping while safeguarding public health.

In New Zealand, Action for Smokefree 2025 (ASH) has called for the age to buy vapes to increase from 18 to 21. 

While the new policy might make it harder to access vapes, it certainly won’t slow down the problem. Teenagers will find a way to access vapes. 

The government is looking at stricter vaping laws, which are slowly starting to be implemented. For example, new vape stores cannot be located less than 300 metres away from schools and marae, and the sale of cheap disposable vapes has been restricted in a crackdown against youth vaping. 

While the government and health groups try to address the increasing popularity of vaping among teens, you can find helpful resources here if you are concerned about your teenager vaping.