Vaping drops sharply among New Zealand teens as daily smoking stays near zero. Photo credit: Cottonbro Studio, Pexels.
New Zealand has seen a dramatic decline in vaping among school-aged teens, while daily smoking rates remain nearly nonexistent, according to the latest survey of more than 30,000 Year 10 students (ages 14–15).
The Action on Smoking and Health survey released on November 30, 2025, shows that the share of students who vape at least once a month has halved since peaking at 20.2% between 2019 and 2021. Daily vaping has fallen to 7.1%, down from 10.1% in 2022. Fewer than a third of students have ever tried vaping, a trend Emeritus Professor Robert Beaglehole called “great news.”
“Vaping is not as cool as it used to be,” Beaglehole told RNZ. He said regulatory changes, including the 2020 ban on sales to anyone under 18, helped reduce youth access. “Youth smoking has almost disappeared, and vaping continues to fall,” he added, noting that daily smoking among teens now sits at around 1%.
Beaglehole also cautioned against overregulation, saying vaping can help adult smokers quit and is “much, much less harmful than smoking.” He described the declining rates as a global public-health success and evidence that New Zealand is moving toward a smoke-free generation.
Despite the overall decline, experts warn that early nicotine exposure remains a concern. Otago University associate professor Andrew Waa said some teens may be shifting to oral nicotine products instead. “Rather than talking about a smokefree future, we need to start thinking about a nicotine-free future for our young people,” he said.
Public-health specialists point to multiple factors behind the decline: stronger regulation, public-health campaigns targeting teens, and shifting social norms around vaping and smoking.
The survey highlights that New Zealand has achieved major milestones in reducing youth nicotine use. Daily smoking is now “negligible,” and vaping rates are retreating after years of rapid growth. Experts say these trends reduce the risk of nicotine dependence, long-term respiratory harm, and early-life health inequities.