Teen Vaping Drops in Australia After Nationwide Disposable Vape Ban: Study

  • 16/07/2025

Sydney: Teen vaping rates in Australia have fallen for the first time in years, according to new data released a year after the country introduced a sweeping ban on disposable vapes.

Findings from the Generation Vape study, led by Cancer Council Australia, show that vaping among 14 to 17-year-olds dropped from 17.5% at the start of 2023 to 14.6% by April 2024. The survey also found that vaping across all Australians aged 15 and older decreased by more than a third.

Australia’s Health Minister Mark Butler described the results as proof that the country is “turning the corner” on youth vaping.

“Our education and prevention campaigns, alongside enforcement efforts, are making a difference,” Butler said, adding that over 10 million illegal vapes had been seized over the past year.

In July 2024, Australia banned the manufacture, import, advertising, and supply of single-use vapes. Under the law, nicotine vapes are now only available by prescription through pharmacies. Despite this, a black market for disposable vapes continues to pose challenges for authorities.

The study also highlighted a shift in attitudes among teens. Of the nearly 3,000 teenagers surveyed, 85.4% said they had never vaped, and fewer than one in three expressed any interest in trying vaping—a notable drop from previous years.

Researchers reported that some current or former teen vapers now feel embarrassed or ashamed about their use, signaling a change in how vaping is perceived among young Australians.

While stricter rules have made it harder for teenagers to buy vapes themselves, many still source them from tobacconists and unlicensed vape shops that continue to operate illegally.

The Australian government’s approach mirrors recent actions in the UK, which banned the sale of disposable vapes in June 2025. Health experts in both countries maintain that while vaping can be safer than smoking tobacco, its long-term health impacts remain unclear—especially for young people.

Minister Butler said the government remains committed to tackling the black market for vapes and the broader fight against smoking.

“This is a tough fight and we’ve got more work ahead, not just on vaping but also on illicit tobacco,” he said.

Despite having some of the strictest anti-smoking laws in the world, tobacco use still causes over 24,000 preventable deaths in Australia every year.

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