Australia’s Youth Vaping More Than Ever: A Deep Dive Into New Data

In just a few short years, e-cigarettes have gone from niche novelty to mainstream accessory for young Australians. The 2022–23 National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS) provides the latest detailed snapshot of vaping habits before the federal government’s sweeping 2024 restrictions.

The numbers paint a stark picture. Vaping is no fringe behaviour. Rather, it’s part of everyday youth culture. And if the data is anything to go by, the road ahead will require far more than just new laws.

Sharp Rise in Youth Vaping

Between 2019 and 2023, vaping prevalence among young Australians surged at a pace few would have predicted. Nearly half (49%) of 18–24 year olds reported having tried an e-cigarette at least once. That figure is up from just 26% in 2019. In this demographic, 21% report regular e-cigarette use, which represents the highest proportion of any age group.The change is even worse among 14-17 year olds, with rates roughly having tripled from 9.6% to 28% over that time.

For context, these numbers place Australia among the higher global ranges for youth vaping, despite existing nicotine prescription requirements that, in theory, should have acted as a deterrent. In the UK, a 2023 report from Action on Smoking and Health showed that 20.5% of those aged 11-17 had tried vaping at least once, with only 7.6% currently doing so. In the US, the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 7.7% of youth are current users. Compare that to our figures. 21% of 18-24 year olds report vaping regularly, and around 10% of those aged 14-17.

The disparity raises important questions. Why are Australia’s youth vaping rates higher than those in comparable Western nations, despite our stricter prescription-only nicotine framework? Some might argue that a higher vaping rate could be tolerated if it coincided with significantly lower smoking rates. But unfortunately, the data doesn’t support this. In 2022–2023, 17.5% of Australian secondary school students admitted having tried smoking, compared to just 11% in the UK’s 2023 NHS survey.

So, what makes vaping more attractive to young Australians than their counterparts overseas? One possibility could be the novelty effect: vaping entered Australia’s youth market later than in the US or UK, meaning the rapid uptake we’re seeing now may reflect a “catch-up” surge. Social media promotion, largely beyond the reach of Australian regulators, may also be amplifying peer influence at a scale traditional tobacco never experienced.

The Curiosity Factor

When it comes to first-time use, curiosity dominates the list of motivations. Across all age groups, 39% cited this as their reason for vaping. But among young people, that figure skyrockets to 70%.

This is a critical insight for policymakers to take note of. Unlike substances more commonly associated with dependency or escapism, e-cigarette initiation among youth is most frequently driven by social experimentation and peer pressure. That means policies designed to restrict supply are only part of the solution, because demand isn’t necessarily rooted in addiction, but in peer culture.

The Supply Chain Problem

57% obtained them from a friend or family member.

Another of the most telling findings in the NDSHS relates to how young Australians actually get their e-cigarettes. 57% of people aged 15–24 who had ever vaped reported that they had obtained them from a friend or family member. This “social supply chain” effectively bypasses retail regulations. This is where enforcement meets a cultural challenge: you can limit store sales, but you can’t easily regulate a teenager handing a vape to their classmate, or receiving one from their uncle.

The Coming Test

In early 2024, the Australian Government began implementing stronger controls to further regulate the importation, manufacture, advertising, supply and possession of e-cigarette devices. These measures mark the most significant regulatory shift in vaping policy to date.

Under the new framework:

• Non-nicotine vapes will face the same tight controls as nicotine devices.

• Commercial possession without appropriate authorisation will be prohibited.

• Online advertising and social media promotion will be heavily restricted.

Youth Resistance

While these measures are ambitious, they face a major hurdle: the NDSHS shows that young Australians have the lowest support for vaping restrictions. Among people aged 14–29, support for policy measures ranges between 60% and 80%, which is notably lower than in older demographics.

This gap in policy support matters. Public health laws work best when the affected population sees the rationale behind them, and are on board with their implementation. If young people perceive vaping restrictions as overreach, they may view compliance as optional, or even treat vaping even more as an act of defiance.

We’ve seen this before: during alcohol restrictions in various jurisdictions, youth found creative workarounds that kept consumption rates steady despite tougher laws. Without a cultural shift, history could repeat itself here.

What a Smarter Approach Could Look Like

The data points toward several targeted strategies that could complement the new regulations:

1. Peer-Led Campaigns

   Campaigns designed with young people are more likely to resonate than those dictated by adults. Youth ambassadors who can speak credibly about the risks of vaping may cut through in ways that traditional public announcements cannot.

2. Addressing Curiosity

   Clearly curiosity is the dominant motivator. Therefore, public messaging should focus its efforts on tackling that mindset. Demonstrating the potential harms in relatable, bite-sized content, and showing that vaping isn’t the harmless experiment it’s marketed as, could reduce initial uptake.

3. Regulating the Social Supply Chain

   While peer-to-peer supply is difficult to police, targeted school and community interventions could help shift norms. This might include education on the legal implications of supplying vapes to minors and social campaigns that make sharing less socially acceptable.

The Road Ahead

Vaping in Australia sits at a crossroads. The 2022–23 data shows a habit that’s becoming deeply entrenched among young people, fuelled by curiosity, peer culture, and ready access through informal channels. The coming years will reveal whether the new 2024 regulations can truly bend the curve, or whether vaping becomes the next long-term public health challenge, like smoking before it.

If policymakers want to win this fight, they’ll need more than just laws. They’ll need cultural strategies, credible messengers, and a willingness to engage directly with the generation most affected.