The University of Otago led this project, which was successful in being awarded funding for the study from the Ministry of Health Innovation Fund. The project tested the latest advanced, rapid-acting, nicotine replacement therapies (NRT), taking these direct to smokers in localities such as shopping malls. As part of the study Whakauae provided advice on engagement with Māori and relevant research methods and analysis.
The results of this study suggest that more effective and more attractive NRTs, and more effective methods of encouraging smokers to use NRT are required. Current NRTs, with their medicalised packaging, and highly restrictive rules around their provision and use, are not sufficiently attractive to smokers. It is possible that smoking cessation staff, who are very well connected to their community, may have better success in encouraging smokers to use NRT and continue to engage in quitting behaviour. The methods used to engage with smokers in the present trial were successful in reaching a large number of smokers, many of whom were Māori, almost half of whom had neutral or no motivation to quit smoking in the short-term and were therefore unlikely to enrol in a conventional smoking cessation service. This method of reaching smokers in high priority populations, if combined with access to a wider range of more effective and free-of-charge NRTs, is likely to help New Zealand achieve the SmokeFree2025 Vision.
