Associate Health Minister Casey Costello says a major cut to taxes for "heated tobacco products" is only a "trial" aimed at helping hardcore smokers.
RNZ on Thursday reported on the changes, which were quietly introduced.
Costello responded to two questions about the tax cut during an unrelated press conference on Thursday, before police communications staff halted the questions.
Costello said she believed it was the first time tobacco excise had been cut in New Zealand.
"But it's part of the strategy around targeting those who are addicted smokers and to provide alternate products," she said.
"So it is a trial for a period. We'll analyse whether there is an opportunity, it's a less harmful solution.
"So we are looking at a range of options, because we're now dealing with about 280,000 who are hardcore addicted smokers and vaping doesn't work for everyone so we're just looking at other options."
Asked if anyone from the tobacco industry had spoken to her about the change, Costello replied: "No".
She has refused to be interviewed by RNZ.
You can read the press conference as it happened below:
