A major new study has, for the first time, established a direct link between vaping and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a life-limiting and irreversible lung condition that ranks as the fourth leading cause of death in New Zealand.
The findings, published in the Nicotine and Tobacco Research Journal, show a strong association between the use of e-cigarettes and new diagnoses of COPD.
The research tracked 250,000 individuals over a period of three and a half years, providing some of the most robust evidence to date on the long-term health impacts of vaping.
Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ Chief Executive Letitia Harding says the results confirm long-held concerns within the health sector.
“For years, we’ve been gaslighted into believing vaping is harmless—or at least ‘less harmful’ than cigarettes—while teen vaping rates have skyrocketed,” Harding said. “Now the science is catching up, and it’s not good news. Vaping is not harmless—it never has been—and this study shows it causes long-term, irreversible lung damage.”
Harding is calling on the government to take urgent action in response to the findings, arguing that existing regulations do not go far enough to protect the public, particularly young people.
“Let’s stop pretending we’re balancing harm reduction with consumer freedom,” she said. “Vaping isn’t harm reduction, it’s harm transfer. The industry is repeating Big Tobacco’s playbook, and the result is a new generation of nicotine-addicted youth who are now at risk of developing lifelong respiratory illness.”
Respiratory physician Dr Stuart Jones, a member of the Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board, says the data also dispels a persistent myth that using both cigarettes and vapes can help smokers quit.
“For the first time, we’ve got hard data showing that vaping alone can cause COPD,” Dr Jones said. “And if you’re vaping and smoking, you’re not reducing risk—you’re doubling down on it. Dual use is not a stepping stone to quitting—it’s a shortcut to the respiratory ward.”
He urged strong public health messaging to make clear that e-cigarettes are not benign.
“Vapes are not harmless devices—they’re engineered nicotine delivery systems that inflame lung tissue and leave lasting damage. If you smoke and vape, the goal must be to quit both. And if you don’t smoke, then don’t vape. It’s that simple.”
The study’s findings are expected to intensify calls for stricter regulation of vaping products, especially those marketed toward younger users.
