More teenagers vaping with nicotine than smoking

More than a third of New Zealand high school students have tried vaping, a new study shows, with 10 per cent vaping regularly and 6 per cent at least once a week.

About 80 per cent of those who reported vaping regularly and 90 per cent of those who vaped weekly or more often, sometimes or always used e-cigarettes containing nicotine.

Students often began experimenting with vaping at a young age, with 22 per cent of Year 9 students (13 and 14-year-olds) saying they had tried vaping.

According to clinical psychologist Dougal Sutherland there was real difficulty in designing effective marketing campaigns to deter young people. ‘‘It’s what the cool people are doing at school that’s going to be much more influential.’’

The study is based on data from the Youth19 survey of secondary school students aged 13 to 18 in the Auckland, Northland, and Waikato education regions conducted in 2019. It reflects the situation before the Government banned the sale of vaping products to under 18s and prohibited e-cigarette marketing late last year.

‘‘The influence of people their age is a huge factor,’’ Sutherland said. ‘‘There’s clearly a sort of coolness attached to it.’’

A group of middle-aged white men in suits, he said, would be fighting a losing battle to change their minds. ‘‘There is also a sense that it’s relatively safe. It’s not smoking, therefore it’s okay.’’

The fact that the flavours made it an enjoyable experience increased the appeal for young people. ‘‘It’s like RTDs for alcohol – if you make it sweet and palatable, young people will be drawn to it.’’

Researcher Dr Jude Ball, from the University of Otago in Wellington, said the study highlighted the importance of getting the balance right between making it easy for adult smokers to switch to less harmful vaping, while protecting young nonsmokers.

‘‘Our findings suggest that during 2018 and 2019, that balance was not achieved.’’

Vaping was two to three times more common than smoking among students, and was common among demographic groups unlikely to smoke; two-thirds of those who had tried it, and nearly half of regular vapers, had never smoked.

Two-thirds of those who had tried vaping, and nearly half of regular vapers, had never smoked, and it was common among demographic groups unlikely to smoke.

‘‘Nationally, this would translate to 15,000 regular vapers and 6700 weekly vapers in the New Zealand secondary school population who have never smoked,’’ Ball said.

Adolescents use increased sharply since the introduction of devices compatible with nicotine in 2018.

‘‘Our finding that 80 per cent of students who vape regularly are using nicotine is in contrast to a 2018 study which showed only 23 per cent of 14 and 15-year-old vapers had used nicotine the last time they vaped.

‘‘It is also concerning that 17 per cent of those who had tried vaping did not know whether they had used nicotine or not.’’

Ball said while vaping carried lower health risks than smoking, it was not harmless.

‘‘Recent reports have highlighted the risk of acute lung injury in vapers, as well as chronic risks to cardiovascular, respiratory and oral health,’’ she said. ‘‘The impacts of long term use are still unknown.’’