Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is legally allowed in New Zealand. This includes the sale and purchase of NRT products without a prescription from general stores. NRT products are included on the country’s essential drugs list, therefore the government fully covers NRT cost. The market size of NRT products in New Zealand was estimated to be 12.7 million € in 2019.
Product promotion
- Consumer Health: Euromonitor from trade sources/national statistics. Date Exported: 8/9/2019. (c) Euromonitor International 2019
Regulation
- WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-nzl.pdf?sfvrsn=1b7ea63e_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 December 2025.
Availability
| Year | Value | Reference/Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | many general shops without a prescription | 1A |
| 2022 | General store | 1B |
- WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2019. https://www.who.int/tobacco/global_report/en/ (2019).
- WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-nzl.pdf?sfvrsn=1b7ea63e_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 December 2025.
- WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-nzl.pdf?sfvrsn=1b7ea63e_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 December 2025.
- WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2019. https://www.who.int/tobacco/global_report/en/ (2019).
Formal support
- WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-nzl.pdf?sfvrsn=1b7ea63e_3&download=true. Accessed: 9 December 2025.
- NRT cost is fully covered by the government.
Publications
Why is tobacco harm reduction needed and what is the evidence it works?
Our latest Briefing Paper explains the importance of tobacco harm reduction as well as providing a range of country case studies demonstrating the power of safer nicotine products to bring down rates of smoking.
The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction 2024: A Situation Report
This Briefing Paper summarises The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction 2024: A Situation Report, which uses the latest evidence and new data projections to report on the current global THR situation and its potential to rapidly reduce the burden of disease and mortality associated with risky tobacco use.
What is Tobacco Harm Reduction?
Tobacco harm reduction is a potentially life-saving intervention for millions of people across the world who use high-risk tobacco products, offering them the chance to switch to a range of safer nicotine products. Here, we provide a detailed introduction to the principles, history and evidence for this vital public health strategy.