Vape Attacks Suit Big T
Attacks on vaping “nicely suits Big Tobacco” according to the co-owner of Alt New Zealand and VAPO
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by Dave Cross
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Mr Devery’s comments follow an avalanche of recent negative media stories about vaping.
“Vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking yet it’s getting 95% of the negative coverage. For those of us dedicated to Smokefree Aotearoa, we’re just asking for some objectiveness. Let’s not lose sight that smoking kills 5,000 Kiwis a year, and nicotine vaping has reportedly killed no one worldwide. In fact, it has saved thousands of Kiwis from an early death,” he says.
Both ex-smokers, Mr Devery and fellow business partner Ben Pryor say demonising vaping only hinders smokefree ambitions. Their comments are directed at New Zealand but resonate with other countries around the world.
Instead, the Kiwi vape entrepreneurs say the media at home should be more focused on the Government delivering an achievable Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 Action Plan.
“Rather than badmouthing vaping, we should be ensuring the world’s most effective smoking cessation tool is being used to society’s advantage. Vaping needs to be elevated, not supressed, in the action plan if we are to beat the scourge of tobacco hitting our most vulnerable communities,” says Mr Devery.
Alt New Zealand and VAPO (1) were long supportive of the Government legislating vaping, sanctioning it as an R18 activity, and delivering product safety standards. However, as it stands, in New Zealand, vaping is now more regulated, licensed, and controlled than tobacco.
Alarmingly, cigarettes will soon be more readily available than popular vape flavours. From 11 August, general retailers such as supermarkets, service stations, and dairies can only stock menthol, mint, and tobacco vape flavours.
“Instead of making vaping less available for those desperate to quit smoking, the Government needs to urgently make tobacco less available. However, for that to work there needs be a safer and less expensive alternative on hand for adults - and that is vaping,” he says.
Jonathan Devery says to achieve Smokefree Aotearoa, New Zealand needs to keep its eyes firmly on the real enemy – tobacco. At the same time, the Government needs to get tough on any retailers caught selling vaping products to minors.
An example of the recent coverage includes a story bearing the title: “Vaping - at 10”.
“Why don’t we see ‘Smoking - at 10’, ‘Drinking - at 10’, ‘Drugs - at 10’ media stories? It’s all about vaping, which is ironic given it’s the least harmful,” says Nancy Loucas, co-director of Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocacy (2).
“Just when Cabinet is about to approve the Ministry of Health’s latest vaping regulations and finalise Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall’s smokefree action plan, out come the attacks on vaping. Given vaping is New Zealand’s most effective smoking cessation tool, some balance in the debate is well and truly overdue.”
She added that while reported youth vaping anecdotes are deeply concerning and unacceptable, they’re not supported by any significant empirical evidence.
“After examining a survey of over 27,000 secondary school students, University of Auckland researchers last year found that only 0.8% of 14 and 15-year-olds, who had never smoked, were regular vapers. Researchers subsequently confirmed there was no youth vaping epidemic in New Zealand.”
“It’s easy to get emotional, but let’s stay focused on the evidence,” Loucas says.
References:
- Alt New Zealand - https://getalt.co.nz/
- Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocacy - www.avca.org.nz
Dave Cross
Journalist at POTVDave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous start-ups to develop content for their websites.
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