BACKGROUND: Following rapid increases in youth vaping from 2020, education and campaign activities surged from late-2022 to late-2023 across Australian states. In May 2023, the Australian Government announced plans for a range of reforms, including restricting vape sales. These were implemented in early 2024 with the ban of disposable vapes, supported by a national youth anti-vaping campaign. Further reforms followed, allowing access to therapeutic vapes – with limited nicotine concentration (≤20 mg) and flavours (mint, menthol and tobacco) – through pharmacies only with a prescription from 1 July, and without a prescription if certain conditions were met from 1 October. This research examines associations between vaping prevalence and the timing of these activities and policy changes.
METHODS: Using a representative population survey of Australians aged 14+ years (N=222,229; Feb 2018 – Dec 2023), we examine past month vaping prevalence among young Australians (14-17 years; 18-24 years). The 2024 data will be available by the time of presentation.
RESULTS: After sharp increases from Jan-Jul 2020 (1.6%) to Jul-Dec 2022 (14.5%) among those 14 to17 years, vaping prevalence plateaued through to Jul-Dec 2023 (13.4%). Among those 18 to 24 years, vaping rose steeply from Jul-Dec 2020 (7.2%) until the Jul-Dec 2022 (22.7%) and stabilised through to Jul-Dec 2023 (22.0%).
CONCLUSIONS: The plateauing of vaping among youth appears to have coincided with heightened state education and campaign activities and the announcement of Australian Government vaping reforms. Monitoring of 2024 prevalence will be critical for evaluating success of Australia’s unique regulations aimed at curbing youth vaping.