Media release: Public health researchers add their voice to call for inquiry amid JUUL document revelations

Public health researchers from the University of Otago’s research group ASPIRE Aotearoa have added their voice to a call for an independent public inquiry after thousands of internal JUUL documents released in U.S. litigation revealed tobacco and vaping companies’ efforts to shape Aotearoa New Zealand public health policy.

The cache of industry records and reports alleges strategic lobbying, “talking points,” and draft legislation provided by tobacco interests, including Philip Morris International and Imperial Tobacco, to political actors, in particular New Zealand First.

The documents raise serious questions about whether elected representatives have complied with Aotearoa’s obligations under Article 5.3 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which requires Parties to protect health policies from tobacco industry influence.

“These documents suggest tobacco companies viewed our small market as an opportunity to plant policy proposals and talking points at the highest levels of government,” said University of Otago Professor Janet Hoek, lead author of the Public Health Communication Centre Briefing. “Aotearoa’s reputation for policy-making integrity is at risk unless we investigate these interactions and improve transparency around lobbying.”

Key recommendations from the Briefing

• Launch a formal, independent inquiry into the practices outlined in the JUUL documents, to restore public confidence and assess potential breaches of FCTC obligations.
• Reassign the tobacco and vaping portfolios away from New Zealand First ministers, at least until the inquiry has concluded.
• Support the introduction of the Tobacco Transparency Bill, which would require full disclosure of meetings, submissions, and funding from tobacco and vaping interests to all decision-makers.

“At a minimum, transparency rules must be strengthened so New Zealanders can clearly see when and how industry voices enter the policy arena,” says Prof Hoek. “We owe it to our communities to ensure public health decisions are made in the open, free from the influence of industries that cause health harm.”