Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board is calling for urgent action to curb rising vaping rates among rangatahi Māori across the Waikato rohe, warning that current market practices are fuelling nicotine addiction and harming whānau wellbeing.
Released ahead of World Smokefree Day 2026, Te Tiratū’s new Vaping Position Statement, developed with the University of Otago Faculty of Medicine and Associate Professor Andrew Waa, calls for vaping products to be regulated as therapeutic cessation tools only and available through accredited health services with strict nicotine limits, standardised packaging, reduced flavours, and stronger enforcement against illicit supply chains.
The statement highlights alarming vaping rates among rangatahi Māori, particularly Māori girls, and warns that vaping has become dangerously normalised as a lifestyle product rather than a smoking cessation aid.
Te Tiratū says stronger prevention-focused regulation is essential to protect future generations and uphold the wellbeing of whānau, hapū, and iwi.