New research suggests strong public interest in reintroducing very low-nicotine cigarettes in New Zealand while raising questions about perceptions of government policy being influenced by the tobacco industry.
A survey of more than 1,200 adults conducted for Health Coalition Aotearoa found that over two-thirds of respondents believe the tobacco industry has an influence on government policy, while more than half support the reintroduction of very low-nicotine cigarettes.
Health Coalition Aotearoa co-chair and public health professor Chris Bullens said, “The government needs to wake up to this and take action accordingly.”
A low-nicotine cigarette policy introduced under the previous Labour government was later scrapped by the Coalition.
He said the coalition was reasonably confident the survey provided an accurate snapshot of public opinion on the government’s approach to new nicotine products and its existing tobacco control strategies.
He said there was evidence from New Zealand and international research suggesting that very low-nicotine cigarettes can help a serious number of smokers eventually quit.
“So they’re not less harmful than smoking cigarettes; they’re still combusting tobacco, but they help people to move away from smoking because there’s no nicotine, so there’s no real benefit in them anymore.”
“In conjunction with providing other sorts of nicotine that are safer, like nicotine replacement therapy, that can make a real difference.”
The survey found limited support for expanding access to newer nicotine products such as oral nicotine pouches, with 46% of New Zealanders opposing their retail sale compared with 33% in support.
He said there was insufficient evidence about nicotine pouches and argued that introducing them as a smoking cessation tool was not evidence-based.
The survey found that 57% of respondents believe the use of nicotine pouches among young people would increase.
Bullen said that in countries where nicotine pouches have been introduced, they have become highly popular among young people.