New Study to Help Quit Smoking
Professor Bullen has received $1.44 million from the Health Research Council to study the effectiveness of cytisine, a drug found in kōwhai trees, for quitting nicotine. The study will compare cytisine against the common practice of tapering off nicotine for people using multiple products, including cigarettes, vapes, and oral nicotine pouches.
What is the cytisine nicotine study?
The study, launching later this year, will assess how cytisine performs compared to gradually reducing nicotine intake. According to Bullen, who leads the University’s Department of General Practice and Primary Care, the research is unique because it focuses on people using several different nicotine products over long periods.
Bullen serves as the Director of the Transform Faculty Research Centre and works with centers for heart, cancer, and addiction research. He notes that cytisine is a compound found in kōwhai trees, which may make the treatment resonate with New Zealanders.
Why is multi-pronged nicotine use a health concern?
Many individuals use a combination of cigarettes, vapes, heated tobacco, and oral nicotine pouches. Bullen says some people use alternative products because they are cheaper, more convenient, or more socially acceptable than cigarettes.
However, using multiple products is associated with an increased risk of harmful health effects and higher nicotine dependence. Bullen states that cigarettes are the most harmful, followed by heated tobacco and vapes, though he notes that more research is required regarding the long-term effects of vaping.
Who is most affected by nicotine use in New Zealand?
Between 2024 and 2025, just over 17 percent of New Zealanders reported daily smoking or vaping. Bullen points out that these numbers are significantly higher in specific populations.
- Māori: 39 percent
- Pacific people: 28 percent
- People aged 18 to 24: 26 percent
- People with disabilities: 22 percent
What are the long-term health implications of smoking?
Smoking for many years reduces a person’s lifespan by about a decade on average, according to Bullen. He observes that this often includes a lower quality of life before premature death, citing examples of chronic lung disease that makes walking to a letterbox difficult and premature heart disease.
Bullen describes quitting smoking as probably the single most beneficial change a person can make for their health. He says those who quit can reclaim years of life that would otherwise be lost.
What may happen if the study is successful?
If cytisine proves effective for quitting multi-pronged nicotine use, there could be commercial opportunities to grow kōwhai within New Zealand. This may lead to the local manufacture of the drug as a treatment for nicotine dependence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is cytisine?
It is a newly approved drug in New Zealand and a compound found in kōwhai trees used to treat nicotine dependence.
Which nicotine products are most harmful?
According to Professor Bullen, cigarettes are the most harmful, followed by heated tobacco and then vapes.
Can people use kōwhai trees directly to quit smoking?
No. Professor Bullen warns that it would be dangerous for people to try to use material directly from the tree.
Do you think local manufacturing of medication from native plants could increase the adoption of smoking cessation treatments?