E-cigarettes: How kids are being lured into vaping and getting hooked on nicotine 

Electronic cigarettes (also known as e-cigarettes or vapes) are introducing a whole new generation of young people to nicotine. The vaping industry, backed by big tobacco, are deliberately targeting our kids with these toxic products despite knowing they are harmful and highly addictive. 

These products have no place on our shelves.

In early May 2023, VicHealth welcomed the Federal Governments’ plans to take strong action to reduce the significant damage caused by vaping. The groundbreaking reforms include removing all single use, disposable e-cigarettes from retail sale, and stopping the e-cigarette industry from targeting young people with digital marketing, enticing flavours and colourful packaging. Measures urgently needed to protect the health and wellbeing of our community.  

In recent years, e-cigarette use (or vaping) has risen at an alarming rate across Australia, most concerningly among young people, including school children.   

So, what exactly are e-cigarettes, and why are they dangerous, particularly for our kids? 

What are e-cigarettes or vapes?

E-cigarettes, more commonly known as ‘vapes’, are battery operated devices, that use a coil to heat liquid into aerosols.  E-cigarettes can contain up to 200 dangerous chemicals, such as poisons found in weed killer and paint stripper, that are inhaled deep into the lungs. 

Chemicals often include: 

• Acrolein. Found in weed killer  

• Acetonitrile. Found in car exhaust fumes  

• Arsenic. Found in rat poison 

• Cadmium. Found in batteries  

• Formaldehyde. Found in preservatives in morgues 

• Benzene. Found in gasoline  

• Chlorine. Found in bleach  

• Glyoxal. Found in hospital-grade disinfectant 

• Toluene. Found in aviation fuel 

• Xylene. Found in paint stripper 

The ‘cloud’ of fumes emitted from vaping is an aerosol, a fine spray containing toxic and corrosive chemicals that can lodge in the lungs. Using an e-cigarette is commonly called ‘vaping’. 

Currently, e-cigarettes come in an array of colours and flavours. Often disguised to look like everyday items (such as pens, lip gloss, USB sticks or hoodie toggles), making them discreet and easy to fit into a pocket undetected. Many of the flavours such as chocolate milk, candy floss and cola ice seem to be designed to target children. 

In Australia right now, it is illegal to buy and sell an e-cigarette or any e-liquid that contains nicotine, unless you have a doctor’s prescription. But big tobacco companies are skirting these regulations by selling ‘non-nicotine’ e-cigarettes, most of which are incorrectly labelled and do in fact contain nicotine. In any case, both nicotine and non-nicotine e-cigarettes contain toxic and corrosive chemicals that don’t belong in our lungs. It’s illegal to sell e-cigarette products of any kind to children. 

In early May 2023, the Federal Government announced groundbreaking reforms to protect future generations from the harms created by Big Tobacco and the vaping industry. Under the new measures the retail sale of all single use, disposable e-cigarettes will be banned, as will the tactics used by the e-cigarette industry to lure in young people, such as digital marketing, flavoured vapes and colourful packaging.

Why is vaping bad for our kids’ health?

Breathing in the aerosols from e-cigarettes can lodge fine metal particles deep into a young person’s lungs, increasing the risk of lung injuries, seizures, asthma attacks, bronchitis and in rare  cases, death. 

A single disposable e-cigarette product can contain as much nicotine as 50 traditional cigarettes and cost as little as $5. 

This is alarming when we know that nicotine is highly addictive and can impede the brain development of young people. 

In addition to the damage vaping can do to young people’s physical health, it can also impact their mental health. Growing international research shows vaping increases the risk of mood and anxiety disorders and can worsen symptoms of depression. 

One study found current e-cigarette users have double the odds of a depression diagnosis compared to those who have never vaped. 

If your kids are experiencing mental health challenges related to vaping, we encourage you to get support from Quit via their website or phone 13 7848.

Sacrificing children for profits

The dangers of e-cigarettes are very scary and real – multinational tobacco and vaping companies are using sneaky digital marketing tactics to directly target teenagers and young people through social media to drive sales. And it’s our children who suffer as a result. VicHealth strongly supports new measures announced by the Federal Government in early May 2023 to stop these harmful marketing tactics. 

Most young people who use e-cigarettes have never used traditional cigarettes. But we also know young people who vape are three times as likely to go on to use traditional cigarettes. 

The toxic fumes from e-cigarettes are dangerous and don’t belong in our lungs.

The vaping and tobacco industry is using every trick in the book to hook a new generation of Australians on these highly addictive products, such as: 

• Product design: Producing e-cigarettes with sweet flavours, such as cola ice and candy floss, and creating devices that are brightly coloured and with discrete packaging, designed in ways that appeal to young people. 

• Marketing: Using social media extensively to market and sell vaping products to young people, with vape challenges promoted across TikTok and YouTube. This content is often sponsored by tobacco and e-cigarette companies and endorsed by influencers with large social media followings. 

• Labelling: Mislabeling nicotine e-cigarettes as ‘non-nicotine’ so they are easily available at convenience stores and online without a doctor’s prescription. 

In early May 2023, the Australian Government announced groundbreaking reforms to protect future generations from the harms created by Big Tobacco and the vaping industry, closely followed by a Federal Budget announcement which included $737 million allocated towards reducing harm from the e-cigarette and tobacco industry.

VicHealth strongly supports the Government’s commitment to:

• Ban the sale of all single use disposable e-cigarettes
• Introduce minimum quality standards on certain flavours, colours and ingredients and reducing allowable nicotine content.
• Raise public awareness about the health impacts of e-cigarettes
• Prohibit advertising, promotion, and sponsorship of e-cigarettes 
• Monitor and prevent illegal importation and supply of non-prescription e-cigarettes in Australia.

The measures are a significant step towards ensuring children and young people in Australia are protected from the harms of e-cigarettes. 

For more information and resources on vaping for parents, teachers and carers, visit the Quit website.

How to talk to kids about vaping

Listen, don’t lecture: 

When it comes to talking to children and young people about vaping, approach the conversation calmly. Try to listen, ask open questions and reserve to urge to lecture or judge. Approach in an informal way, in a casual environment, such as when watching tv together, driving or shopping. 

Get the facts: 

Make sure you know the facts before talking to your kids about vaping. That way you can have a constructive, informed conversation. Think about how you want to phrase questions and anticipate your response to what your teen might say. Read our FAQs and familiarise yourself with information. 

Quit Victoria, The Royal Children's Hospital and The Raising Children Network have a range of resources available online to help young people better understand the risks. These resources are available on the Quit website. 

Be real, be respectful: 

It’s important not to exaggerate statements and to be honest with your teen. Focus on your care and concern for their health, and stick to the evidence. 

It may be hard, but it’s important to respect their privacy and avoid pushing areas of the conversation they are not comfortable discussing. 

Being genuine and ‘real’ is crucial to building trust and creating a safe environment for your teen to talk openly. 

Support quitting: 

It’s important to recognise that if your child has started vaping they may already have developed a dependence. This makes quitting important, but hard. They will need all the support they can get.    

You may try reaching out to other parents of teenagers for support and advice.  

You can also 

Call Quitline (13 7848) for free advice. Quitline counsellors can answer any questions you may have about e-cigarettes and can help you think of ways to approach the conversation. 

If your teenager or young person wants help to quit vaping, they can have a confidential, live chat with a Quitline counsellor at  quit.org.au.