A strong health campaign with the message “every vape is a hit to your health” has been launched to address the alarming rates of vaping among young people.
The campaign, developed with input from young people and medical experts, responds to vaping among people aged 16-24, which soared to 16.5 percent in 2021-2022 from 4.5 percent two years prior.
It features stories from people aged 14 to 24 who have experienced the harms of vaping.
In one ad, a young man said vaping made it difficult for him to breathe deeply.
“I tried to take a deep breath in; it was like my lungs were trying to squeeze in on themselves,” he said.
Another revealed that his ability to breathe took a drastic hit shortly after graduating high school.
“There I am with the worst breathing I’ve ever had in my life,” he said.
The New South Wales (NSW) ads are about encouraging young people to consider the proven health risks of vaping, including addiction, lung damage, breathing issues, nicotine poisoning, and injuries from exploding vapes.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said sharing their stories would encourage more young people to seek support.
“This is very important because we know regular nicotine consumption can cause changes to a young person’s brain development, learning and memory, and may worsen stress, depression, and anxiety,” he said.
He added it took more than 75 years to decrease smoking among men from approximately 72 percent to 14 percent.
“We have an opportunity to stem the tide of another emerging public health crisis that could have a lasting impact for generations of young people to come.”
People who want support or advice to quit vaping should consult their GP, download a quit vaping app, or call Quitline.
Chief Cancer Officer Professor Tracey O'Brien expressed concern that a new generation of people will become addicted to smoking if vaping use continues to increase in young people.
“We are very concerned,” she said.
“Vapes can be highly addictive, with many vapes containing even higher levels of nicotine than cigarettes. Even vapes labelled as nicotine-free often contain this highly addictive substance,” she said.
Further, she said vapes contain harmful chemicals known to cause cancer.
“There is also growing evidence that non-smokers who vape are more likely to take up smoking, which can significantly increase their cancer risk.”
Early Learning Minister Prue Car weighed in about the problem.
“Vaping is a serious issue, and it is having a significant impact on students and young people,” she said.
The NSW government held a round table last year to address the growing issue of vaping in schools.
Since then, the state’s Department of Education has been updating curriculum resources to better address the dangers of vaping.
An online training module for school staff is being developed to facilitate conversations with students, and webinar resources will soon be accessible for parents and carers.
9 in 10 Vape Stores Within Walking Distance to Schools
It comes as new research found that vape stores are densely located around schools and in disadvantaged areas.Almost 200 e-cigarette stores in Western Australia (WA) were found to be primarily located in the Perth metropolitan area, according to the Cancer Council Western Australia commissioned research.
About 88 percent of the stores were within one kilometre of a school, and the density of vape stores was almost seven times higher in the most socio-economically disadvantaged areas compared to the least disadvantaged areas.
Matthew Tuson from The University of Notre Dame Australia pointed out that, like in other countries, the tobacco and vape industries often set up shops in disadvantaged areas to take advantage of vulnerable populations.
“The density of vape retailers near schools and in disadvantaged communities is a problem we expect exists right across Australia,” he said.
“The proximity of vape stores to schools increases young people’s access to vapes and exposure to marketing, ultimately normalising e-cigarette use.”
The importation of disposable vapes, popular with children, was banned on Jan. 1.
Additional government reforms to strengthen the regulation of e-cigarette sales, marketing, and manufacturing are scheduled for later this year.
Public Health Association of Australia CEO Terry Slevin mentioned these reforms aim to implement comprehensive controls on vapes throughout the supply chain, focusing on retailers and not individuals addicted to vaping.
“Those addicted smokers who have decided they need vapes to help them quit, will still be able to access them with a prescription and with assistance from a health professional,” she said.
Still, she emphasised the urgent need for measures to close remaining loopholes to curb the vaping epidemic among young people.
“There has been a rapid explosion of vaping retailers across the country over the last few years,” she explained.
“We call on all state and federal parliamentarians to side with public health professionals, schools and teachers and put the health of young people first, by supporting the full suite of proposed vaping reforms.”
