WILLING TON: British government body Public Health England has conceded that e-cigarettes are at least 95% less harmful than smoking, and is advising the NHS to allow patients to vape in hospitals, and let doctors prescribe e-cigarettes. The contrast could not be more stark. While Britain is encouraging smokers admitted to hospital to switch to vaping, the New Zealand Government is so addicted to the revenue from cigarette taxes it hasn’t even legalised the sale of nicotine e-liquid.”
“The previous Government was making all the right noises around e-cigarettes, but the new Government has put progress on hold.” Currently 2% of the government’s revenue is off the back of tobacco taxes – taxes that disproportionately affect those communities that can least afford it. In Britain e-cigarettes are the most common tool used by smokers to quit. It is obvious that legalising vaping and non-burn tobacco products would save lives,” says Williams.