In recent years, there has been a rapid increase in the number of young people who vape. Almost one in three West Australian high school students had tried vaping in 2022/23, up from 13.5 per cent in 2017. Of those students, nearly one in five had vaped in the past month.
The good news is that Australia's new vape laws appear to be having a positive impact on reducing teenagers' access to and use of vapes. Promising early indicators from the Generation Vape research project show a reduction in the number of adolescents reporting having ever vaped, and among those who do vape, fewer are purchasing their own vapes.
But we can't take our foot off the peddle yet. Turning these promising early indicators into a long-term trend requires continued commitment to a comprehensive approach, including strong legislation, community engagement, media campaigns and quit support.
How can parents and carers help?
As a parent or carer, you play an important role in protecting your teenager from the harms of vaping, you can support them by:
- Learning about vapes and the risks to physical and mental health
- Having an open conversation with your teenager
- Sticking to facts and avoiding judgments
- Helping them quit (if they are open to it).
Helpful resources for parents and carers
There are several free resources available for parents and carers that can help you to have a conversation with your teenager about vaping.
Quitline 13 7848
Quitline 13 7848 is a warm, welcoming, confidential and free counselling service. Their trained and highly skilled counsellors tailor their approach to support young people who want to quit vaping. They can help with:
- Identifying and managing triggers
- Managing withdrawals and cravings
- Building motivation and skills to quit.
Quitline has a culturally safe Aboriginal Quitline service staffed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander counsellors. Quitline is also safe space for LGBTIQA+ communities. There is also a number of ways to access the Quitline for those who speak languages other than English and/or with hearing or speech impairments.
As a parent or carer, you can contact Quitline for information and ways to approach the conversation.
Ways to contact Quitline:
