Latest news with #AleciaBrooks
Perth Now
7 days ago
- Health
- Perth Now
War against vapes not over yet despite falling rates
Shifting social norms are slowing the number of young people being hooked on vapes, but Australia isn't out of the woods yet, an expert has warned. A survey of almost 15,000 14 to 17-year olds found the number of teens vaping fell from 18 to 15 per cent since February 2023. The report released by the Cancer Council's Generation Vape Project on Wednesday found rates of e-cigarettes among 30 to-59-year-olds have halved, while fewer than one-in-five 18 to 24-year-olds used vapes. But despite the lowering rates, Cancer Council chair Alecia Brooks said the work to reduce smoking rates were far from over. "What this data shows us is that we can't really be complacent around this, we have to keep the pressure on," she told AAP. "People should not be able to make a profit off somebody else's health." Vape shops and tobacconists are leading a rise in black market sales of vapes, Ms Brooks said. The report found the number of vapes being bought by young people at stores surged to almost 35 per cent of all sales. This is despite laws only allowing vapes to be sold in pharmacies. But the number of people vaping is shrinking and one reason is because of social media, according the report. What was once a place that painted a fantastical snapshot of the flavoured air devices now is exposing less of the products online. Feelings of shame and embarrassment are poignant and the term "vaper" has became increasingly stigmatised, the report said. The report's chief investigator Becky Freeman said young people were realising the "harm it's doing to their wellbeing", which had led to a decline in vaping rates. Health Minister Mark Butler said education and prevention campaigns also helped deter people from taking up vaping or smoking. "Vaping rates for young Australians have now turned the corner," he said. "It may take time to see a big decrease in vaping and smoking, but we are here for the long haul for a healthier Australia." The Australian Border Force and the Therapeutic Goods Administration have also seized almost $500 billion worth of illicit vapes since January 2024. Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in Australia and is estimated to kill more than 24,000 Australians each year. Lifeline 13 11 14 Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
Sydney Morning Herald
30-05-2025
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
Young Australians throwing away illegal vapes as prices soar
Vaping rates are falling among young adults and high schoolers, prompting Health Minister Mark Butler to claim Australia's world-first vape ban is working. Prices for the fruity-flavoured puffers illegally sold at tobacco and corner stores have risen from about $25 to between $50 and $60 since the middle of last year when Labor introduced one of the strictest public health measures of its term by banning vapes – they are now only legally purchased as anti-smoking aids at pharmacies – and clamping down on importation. Officials have since seized 8 million illegal vapes at the border, mostly manufactured in China and sold under popular brand names Alibarbar and iGet. While they can still be bought, the higher prices and reduced supply has combined with school-level warnings to bring down smoking rates. The rate of vaping has halved to 18 per cent among 18-24-year-olds from early 2023 to now, according to new data from the Cancer Council's Generation Vape report, the most comprehensive survey on vaping in Australia. Among 14-17-year-olds, the rate of vaping was rapidly rising in recent years but started to drop in the last quarter of last year, falling from 17 per cent to 15.5 per cent. The respondents are asked of their experiences in a mix of surveys and long-form interviews funded by the council and government agencies. Loading That drop-off among teens is backed by data from health authorities in South Australia, which showed vaping rates in the 30-to-59 age group had dropped by about half from 2023 to this year, and by about one-third for South Australians aged between 15 and 29. The number of schoolkids in SA being suspended for vaping declined by 50 per cent from the first term of 2023 when there were 388 suspensions compared to 186 in term four last year. 'The vaping legislation has really changed the game,' said Alecia Brooks of the Cancer Council.
The Age
30-05-2025
- Health
- The Age
Young Australians throwing away illegal vapes as prices soar
Vaping rates are falling among young adults and high schoolers, prompting Health Minister Mark Butler to claim Australia's world-first vape ban is working. Prices for the fruity-flavoured puffers illegally sold at tobacco and corner stores have risen from about $25 to between $50 and $60 since the middle of last year when Labor introduced one of the strictest public health measures of its term by banning vapes – they are now only legally purchased as anti-smoking aids at pharmacies – and clamping down on importation. Officials have since seized 8 million illegal vapes at the border, mostly manufactured in China and sold under popular brand names Alibarbar and iGet. While they can still be bought, the higher prices and reduced supply has combined with school-level warnings to bring down smoking rates. The rate of vaping has halved to 18 per cent among 18-24-year-olds from early 2023 to now, according to new data from the Cancer Council's Generation Vape report, the most comprehensive survey on vaping in Australia. Among 14-17-year-olds, the rate of vaping was rapidly rising in recent years but started to drop in the last quarter of last year, falling from 17 per cent to 15.5 per cent. The respondents are asked of their experiences in a mix of surveys and long-form interviews funded by the council and government agencies. Loading That drop-off among teens is backed by data from health authorities in South Australia, which showed vaping rates in the 30-to-59 age group had dropped by about half from 2023 to this year, and by about one-third for South Australians aged between 15 and 29. The number of schoolkids in SA being suspended for vaping declined by 50 per cent from the first term of 2023 when there were 388 suspensions compared to 186 in term four last year. 'The vaping legislation has really changed the game,' said Alecia Brooks of the Cancer Council.
