In line with figures from across the globe, a survey by the National Drug Strategy Household Survey has indicated that as vaping rates increase amongst all age groups but most notably amongst young adults, smoking decreases.
Conducted every three years for the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the leading survey of licit and illicit drug use in Australia, asked 22,274 people aged 14 and above, about their drug use patterns, attitudes and behaviours. The sample was based on households, so people who were homeless or institutionalized were not included in the survey.
The latest National Drug Strategy Household Survey indicated that between 2016 and 2019, vaping increased in all age groups but most notably among young adults. However most importantly, the survey highlighted a relationship between vaping uptake and smoking cessation, indicating that as fewer Australians are smoking tobacco daily, more are vaping and using e-cigarettes.
The 2019 results also found that about 3.7% of the teenagers surveyed, 10.7% of people in their 20s and 11.6% of people in their 30s, smoked daily in 2019. These numbers have more than halved since 2001 and the proportion of younger people who have never smoked continued to rise.
Additionally, between 2016 and 2019, vaping rates increased across most age groups as smoking rates declined, but the rise among young adults was most significant. Nearly two out of three current smokers and one in five non-smokers aged 18–24 reported having ever vaped. It is important to note here that ever use should not be confused with regular use.
Vapesourcing Opinion:
Studies have indicated that individuals who have the personality type inclined to experiment, are very likely to try a number of substances, illicit or not. This means that teens who take up vaping, would most likely be smoking if e-cigarettes did not exist, and given the relative safety of the former, choosing vaping between the two is a mini victory for public health.
