Drug Free Australia (DFA) has issued a strong warning against the legalisation of vaping and other harmful drugs, highlighting new global and national evidence that these products are causing serious social and health harms, particularly among young people.
Over the last decade, vaping has surged worldwide, with sleek devices and sweet flavours attracting teenagers and young adults. A 2022 U.S. survey revealed that 13% of high school students use e-cigarettes – a number that continues to rise.
In Australia, the government has tightened laws, introducing bans on disposable vapes, restricting imports, and limiting nicotine vapes to a prescription-only model. Despite this, illicit products are flooding the market, often with dangerously high nicotine levels and marketed directly to young people.
“Vaping is being promoted as a harm reduction tool, but the reality is that it has created a new epidemic of addiction among young Australians,” said [Spokesperson Name], [Position] at DFA. “This is not a pathway out of smoking – it is a gateway into nicotine dependence.”
Key Concerns:
- Youth epidemic: Teen vaping continues to rise, undermining decades of tobacco control progress.
- Black market boom: Illicit disposable vapes with high nicotine and sweet flavours are widely available.
- Health risks: Long-term effects remain unknown, yet evidence already points to lung and heart risks.
- Environmental damage: Disposable vapes contribute to toxic waste, including lithium batteries.
- Global warning: Countries worldwide are restricting flavours, banning disposables, and tightening online sales to protect young people.
DFA’s Position
Drug Free Australia believes that:
- Primary prevention and education in schools and communities are critical.
- Vapes should be tightly regulated and limited only to smoking cessation under strict medical supervision.
- Recreational use, promotion, or legalisation of vapes and other harmful drugs must be rejected.
- More independent research must be conducted before vapes are made widely available.
“We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes made with tobacco,” said DFA Chairman, Gary Christian, “The lesson is clear: prevention works, education works, and legalisation of harmful, addictive products is never the answer.”
Gary Christian
Chairman, Drug Free Australia
info@drugfree.org.au | +61422163141
Resources:
- Department of Health: health.gov.au/vaping/facts
- Drug Free Australia: drugfree.org.au