Fewer school-age children vaping in Australia since ban, study says

A recent study has shown that fewer school-age children in Australia are vaping since the government introduced a ban on disposable vapes. Vaping is when people use electronic cigarettes to inhale nicotine, which is different from smoking regular cigarettes because it does not involve burning tobacco. According to the Generation Vape study by Cancer Council Australia, the percentage of 14 to 17 year olds who vape dropped from 17. 5 percent at the beginning of 2023 to 14. 6 percent in April 2024. The study also found that vaping rates among people over 15 years old have decreased by more than a third.

Australian Health Minister Mark Butler said that the country is making progress in reducing vaping among young people. He mentioned that more than 10 million illegal vapes have been seized in the past year. The government has also launched education and prevention campaigns to help people avoid starting vaping or smoking, and to support those who want to quit. In July 2024, new laws were put in place to stop the production, import, advertising, and sale of single-use vapes in Australia. Now, nicotine vapes can only be bought with a prescription from a pharmacy. However, there is still a black market for illegal vapes, and some shops continue to sell them despite the new rules.

Health experts say that while vapes are less harmful than traditional cigarettes because they do not contain tobacco, they are not completely safe. The long-term effects of vaping are still unknown, and there are concerns about young people becoming addicted to nicotine. The Generation Vape study found that 85. 4 percent of young people aged 14 to 17 have never vaped, and less than a third are interested in trying it. This shows that curiosity about vaping is going down. The study also found that many young people who have vaped feel embarrassed or ashamed about it. Even though it is harder for teenagers to buy vapes now, some still manage to get them from tobacconists and vape shops. Minister Butler said he believes the worst of the vaping problem is over, but there is still more work to do, especially in fighting illegal tobacco. Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in Australia, causing more than 24,000 deaths each year, even though the country has some of the strictest anti-smoking laws in the world.