Study calls for urgent efforts to reduce adolescent vaping uptake

A study involving more than 4200 adolescents has found that e-cigarette use has become “fairly common” in Australia, with a fifth of young people having vaped in the past 12 months.

Researchers from the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, at the University of Sydney, who examined vaping trends among young people, are calling for urgent efforts to reduce the uptake and use of e-cigarettes among adolescents.

The study invited 4445 students aged 14–17 years from 70 schools in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia to take part in the survey. A majority of the study participants attended independent schools and were living in major cities. Among the 4204 respondents, the study found that the prevalence of use in the past 12 months was higher for boys and non-binary participants than for girls.

The prevalence of current regular use was higher for non-binary participants and those who preferred to not report gender than for girls.

“We found that 26% of respondents had used an e-cigarette, with the mean age of first use being 14 years,” said Dr Lauren Gardner, the study’s lead researcher and a research fellow at the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use.

“E-cigarette use in the past 12 months was reported by 20.4% of respondents and current regular use by 5.7% of respondents.”

The study found socio-economic status and remoteness did not influence the prevalence of current use or use in the past 12 months.

The authors are calling for a multilevel approach to tackle the problem. “We need more support for young people through the primary care system,” Gardner said.

“The delivery of evidence-based prevention programs and resistance skills training in schools will also be critical.

“Additionally, support needs to happen at a government level, such as through e-cigarette control policies, investment in prevention and cessation support, and communication campaigns.”

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