NZ Smoking Rate Drops to 6.8% as Youth Lead Decline, Govt Eyes Next Steps

The smoking rate among 15–24-year-olds has plunged to 3.2%, down from a staggering 19.2% in 2012 when the survey was first conducted.

New Zealand’s campaign against tobacco continues to yield remarkable results, with the latest New Zealand Health Survey (NZHS) revealing that daily smoking rates have dropped to just 6.8% of the adult population. This milestone, celebrated by Associate Health Minister Casey Costello, reflects years of dedicated public health efforts, targeted interventions, and changing social attitudes toward tobacco use.

“Most of the survey data shows a continuation of the great progress that’s been made in the last few years – especially with falling numbers of Pacific peoples’ smokers and very low rates of youth smoking,” said Ms Costello.

A Generational Shift: Youth Leading the Way

One of the most striking insights from the 2025 NZHS is the exceptionally low smoking prevalence among young people. The smoking rate among 15–24-year-olds has plunged to 3.2%, down from a staggering 19.2% in 2012 when the survey was first conducted.

This drop signals not only the success of anti-smoking education and youth-focused campaigns but also a generational shift away from cigarettes as smoking becomes less socially acceptable and alternatives like vaping gain popularity among those trying to quit.

Pacific Peoples See Major Gains

Among Pacific communities, smoking rates have seen a 50% reduction over the past six years — a key area of focus for public health services. These figures mark a turning point, considering that Pacific and Māori populations have historically had disproportionately higher smoking rates due to systemic inequities in healthcare access and targeted tobacco marketing in past decades.

“Māori and Pacifica smoking rates have fallen significantly over the last five years, but this trend has to continue,” said Costello.

Global Recognition for Tobacco Control

Minister Costello noted that New Zealand now holds the third lowest smoking rate in the OECD, a recognition of its global leadership in tobacco harm reduction. The country’s progress is particularly noteworthy given that adult daily smoking has halved over the past decade, showcasing the effectiveness of integrated approaches combining regulation, community outreach, and cessation support.

The New Challenge: Reaching Older, Long-Term Smokers

While celebrating progress, the Government acknowledges that the road ahead will be more challenging. The current population of daily smokers largely consists of older, long-term smokers who are harder to reach and often less responsive to conventional quit campaigns.

“We are now at the most challenging part of the process,” Costello said. “Those who currently smoke cigarettes are mostly older, long-term smokers... and have been the most difficult group to get to quit.”

This demographic is at higher risk of smoking-related illnesses and often faces greater barriers to quitting, including addiction duration, mental health conditions, and limited access to tailored support services.

Building on Proven Strategies and Supporting Quitters

The Government’s approach moving forward is to double down on tools that work — including continued investment in quit-smoking support services, culturally specific outreach for Māori and Pacific populations, and community-based intervention programs.

Costello emphasized that resources are already in place, but greater engagement and smarter regulation are key.

“I want to ensure we are making the best use of the resources in this area, including getting people to engage with quit smoking providers.”

Vaping as a Harm-Reduction Tool

One major focus of future policy is the regulated use of vaping as a smoking cessation aid. Costello acknowledged that vaping has helped thousands of New Zealanders quit cigarettes, but stressed the importance of strengthened youth protections, which have been recently introduced to curb rising underage usage.

“Now that we have strengthened the rules around youth vaping, one simple thing we need to do is be very clear that vaping has been a great tool to help thousands of people stop smoking,” she added.

The Government is now reviewing potential regulatory changes to better reflect the relative harm of tobacco and vaping products while maintaining market controls to protect public health.

Looking Ahead: Toward a Smokefree Aotearoa

New Zealand’s ambitious Smokefree 2025 goal — to reduce daily smoking rates to less than 5% — is now within reach. However, reaching this target will depend on targeted intervention, effective messaging, and inclusive policy.

Minister Costello reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to practical, evidence-based actions that can continue the downward trend in smoking rates.

“These are the sorts of results we want to see – the Government is committed to reducing smoking rates and the harm from smoking.”

As the nation turns its attention to its final push toward a smokefree generation, New Zealand’s health leadership will continue to be watched globally as a model for progressive tobacco control.