Vaping brands arrived in New Zealand under the auspices of helping New Zealanders quit smoking.

And while they have certainly played a role in that, they've also contributed to an entirely new generation hooked on nicotine.

NZ Herald health reporter Emma Russell tells Front Page podcast a recent survey shows that one in five secondary school students are addicted to vaping.

"One doctor said to me that this could just be history repeating itself," says Russell, referencing the fact that cigarettes have essentially been replaced by vaping.