The Vulnerable Youth

Data source: Smoking and vaping, 2022. (2022). Australian Bureau of Statistics. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/smoking-and-vaping/latest-release

Key Findings:

• Vaping is most prevalent among young adults aged 18–24, with 38% reporting use.
• Usage decreases steadily with age — only 1.8% of those aged 65 years and over report vaping.
  
• Teens aged 15–17 show notable uptake at 17.9%, suggesting early exposure.

The Bottom Line:
Vape use in Australia is concentrated among younger demographics, particularly those under 24

Vape Usage

Data source: HealthStats NSW. (2025). Nsw.gov.au. https://www.healthstats.nsw.gov.au/indicator?name=-beh-smo-ecig-phs&location=NSW&view=Table&measure=prevalence&confidence=true&groups=Period

Key Findings:

• Vape usage among young adults in NSW has increased steadily from 1.7% in 2014–2015 to 20.2% in 2023–2024.
  
• The sharpest increases occurred after 2019–2020

The Bottom Line:
Vaping has become increasingly prevalent among NSW young adults, highlighting the importance of monitoring trends and implementing appropriate public health interventions.

Why Vape?

Data source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2024, February 29). National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2022–2023, Data. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/illicit-use-of-drugs/national-drug-strategy-household-survey/data

Key Findings:

• Curiosity is by far the most common reason for vaping among 15–24 year olds, cited by 69.8% of respondents.
  
• Taste (27.8%) and the perception that vapes are less harmful (15.2%) are also strong motivators.
  
• Fewer young people report vaping to quit or cut down smoking (under 9%).

The Bottom Line:
Among young Australians, vaping is driven largely by curiosity and enjoyment.

Characteristics

Data source: Yazidjoglou, A., Watts, C., Joshy, G., Egger, S., Banks, E., & Freeman, B. (2025). Vaping health perceptions and never vaping among Australian adolescents: a strength-based analysis of cross-sectional survey data. BMJ Public Health, 3(2), e002414–e002414. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjph-2024-002414

Key Findings:

• Vaping among 16–17 year olds is not strongly gendered:
  • Male: 44.1%
    
  • Female: 54.0%
    
• Smaller proportions identify as non-binary (1.3%), self-describe (0.3%), or prefer not to say (0.4%).

The Bottom Line:
Vaping has been observed to be more prevalent among female adolescents in key studies.

The Source

Data source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2024, February 29). National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2022–2023, Data. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/illicit-use-of-drugs/national-drug-strategy-household-survey/data

Key Findings:

• The most common source of vapes for 15–24 year olds remains friends or family, consistently above 50% across all years.
  
• Purchases from tobacco retail outlets have risen sharply from 12.5% in 2019 to 26.1% in 2023.
  
• Online purchases dropped significantly, from 20.4% in 2019 to just 7.6% in 2023, likely reflecting tighter import controls.
  
• Other sources such as pharmacies and other retail outlets remain low.

The Bottom Line:
Young Australians primarily obtain vapes through social networks. However retail access, especially via tobacco stores has grown notably since 2019.

Not as a Prescription

Data source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2024, February 29). National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2022–2023, Data. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/illicit-use-of-drugs/national-drug-strategy-household-survey/data

Key Findings:

• Only 1.1% of young Australians aged 15–24 obtained a vape via a prescription, its intended purpose.
  
• The vast majority (90.2%) obtained vapes without a prescription, indicating widespread non-medical use.
  
• 8.7% were unsure, reflecting some uncertainty about how the product was sourced.

The Bottom Line:
Most young Australians are using vapes outside of their intended medical purpose.

Nicotine

Data source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2024, February 29). National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2022–2023, Data. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/illicit-use-of-drugs/national-drug-strategy-household-survey/data

Key Findings:

• The majority (75.6%) of young people (15–24) reported that their most recently used vape contained nicotine.
  
• Only 10.9% said their vape did not contain nicotine.
  
• 13.5% were unsure, suggesting uncertainty about the contents of vapes.

The Bottom Line:
Most young people are using nicotine vapes, which public-health authorities warn are addictive, harmful to brain development, and can make quitting harder later in life (Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, 2024; NSW Health, 2024).

References:

Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. (2024). Vaping facts. https://www.health.gov.au/vaping/facts

Call to Action

Data source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2024, February 29). National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2022–2023, Data. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/illicit-use-of-drugs/national-drug-strategy-household-survey/data

Key Findings:

• High levels of support among young Australians for stricter vape regulations:
  • 77.6% support banning sales to under-18s.
    
  • 71.1% support stronger advertising restrictions.
    
  • 68.7% support restricting use in public places.
    
  • 62.4% support banning additives to reduce appeal.

The Bottom Line:
Young Australians are strongly in favour of policies that reduce youth access and appeal of vapes, reflecting awareness of the risks associated with vaping.