A study of more than 4,000 teenagers has found one in four have vaped, with researchers warning they are doing it in the mistaken belief it helps with stress and anxiety.
Key points:
- New research has found 26 per cent of Australians aged 14 to 17 have vaped, up from 10 per cent in a previous study
- Many mistakenly believe vaping can relieve anxiety, with social media helping drive the misconception
- Researchers are calling for parents to encourage healthier ways for kids to cope with stress
The research, from the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use at Sydney University, asked 4,200 Australians aged 14 to 17 in three states about a range of health factors.
It found 26 per cent had vaped at some point, up from 10 per cent in a separate study three years before.
One in five had used an e-cigarette in the past 12 months, and 5.7 per cent classed themselves as "regular vapers".
Lead researcher Dr Lauren Gardner said the average age a teenager first tried vaping was 14.
"It shows just how pervasive vaping is among young Australians," she said.
The study, which has been published in the Medical Journal of Australia, supports other research from the centre that looked at what drew young people to vaping.
It found young people held many misconceptions about vaping use, including that it was a safe alternative to cigarette use.
"There was this belief that it can help to relieve stress, negative feelings," Dr Gardner said.
"We're looking at emerging evidence here, but it is showing associations between vaping and poorer mental health outcomes, like anxiety and depressive symptoms.
"So, really the focus has got to be on correcting some of those misconceptions and providing that evidence-based facts and skills to resist that peer pressure."
Social media influence
Social media was a major contributor to misconceptions, Dr Gardner said, and the best way to counter its influence was with education.
"Vapes are clearly being marketed towards young people," she said.
"In addition to that social media presence, is also (use) of bright colours, the fruity and the lovely flavours."
She said the findings reinforced how critical it was to urgently address vaping.
A number of state governments have announced education initiatives and crackdowns, and the federal government recently announced a ban on recreational vapes.
"There's probably some element of cynicism among people about the effectiveness of all the recently announced reforms in policy. But the effectiveness of these measures is still yet to be known," Dr Gardner said.
"There's bans on vaping among anyone under 18 already, but we've still seen that surge in access and use. "
Parents can model healthy behaviours
Dr Gardner said parents could play a role by modelling good behaviour and setting age-appropriate rules.
"Encourage healthier ways to cope with feelings of stress or anxieties," she said.
"It's showing that going out and getting some exercise is a good way to deal with those feelings, rather than turning to vaping."
The research is one of the most recent studies of young people and vaping to date, with researchers getting data from 70 schools in the second half of 2022.
The study found no significant difference in rates based on where teens lived or their socio-economic status.
They found higher rates among males and those who identified as non-binary.
Regular use figures important
Australian National University epidemiologist Emily Banks said the new study's findings that 5.7 per cent of teens were regularly using vapes was crucial information.
"It's really important that we understand it's not experimental — that's people who are using it regularly," Professor Banks said.
She said in New Zealand the figure was more than 9 per cent, where vapes were more readily available, which reinforced the need to continue with current public health measures.
"These figures do support the need for solid measures that are effective in the face of really strong industry activity," she said.
Jonine Jancey, a professor in public health at Curtin University, said the data was welcomed, and while it provided some insights, there were limits on how representative it was.
She said schools were playing catch-up when it came to educating teens and needed sound policies.
"We need education to de-normalise vapes and inform young people of their adverse impact. Currently they are confused," Professor Jancey said.
"We need better monitoring of these products, reduced exposure, and access, so as to stop e-cigarette uptake."