The state government says its targeted anti-vaping campaign has helped almost 40,000 youth to stop.
A new evidence-based app to help young people quit vaping has been launched by the NSW government.
The launch of the free app coincided with the release of data that shows NSW Health’s youth-targeted campaign has supported or persuaded almost 40,000 young people in NSW to quit vaping.
To top off the state’s offensive against illegal vapes, the government also revealed that between 1 October 2024 and 31 December 2024, more than 47,000 vaping products were seized from 300 inspections.
This is compared to the same period the previous year, when just under 80,000 vaping products were seized from 238 inspections.
Despite the higher number of inspections, the lower number of products seized is likely the result of the disruption in product availability in the market following the introduction of the commonwealth vaping laws, said the government.
NSW health minister Ryan Park, who launched the new Pave app this week, said he remained “very concerned about the prevalence of illegal vapes in our community”.
“In particular, I’m worried about the impacts it will have on the community’s health, and ultimately, our health system, long into the future,” he said.
“This is a once-in-a-generation moment to prevent a ticking timebomb in public health.
“Our efforts against vaping cannot be solely about enforcement – we’ve got to persuade young people to take ownership of their health, as well as clean our streets of illegal products.
“I am encouraged by our efforts to create awareness among young people of the dangers of vaping, as well as to instil in them a desire to say no, or to quit.
“What I’m determined to see as minister is the requisite supports to help them do it.”
The new Pave app provides users with helpful tips, motivation, tracking tools, distractions for when cravings hit, as well as activities and information to navigate common barriers to quitting vaping.
It provides a daily check-in feature supporting users to reflect on their progress and a click-to-call function to connect with Quitline counsellors.
The app was developed by the Cancer Institute NSW and designed with young people who vape or had recently quit vaping. Their experiences informed the content and user interface of the app.
It’s free and available to download on iOS and Android.
In January 2024, the NSW government launched the “Every vape is a hit to your health” behaviour change campaign to reduce the health impact of vaping among people aged 14 to 24 years.
The campaign has run across television, public transport and social media and connects young people with information about vaping and quit support, including telephone support through the Quitline, general practitioners and now digital apps such as Pave.
New research shows the campaign motivated 24,000 young people in NSW to quit vaping and persuaded a further 15,000 to consider quitting.
Research also shows that 80% of young Aboriginal people who vape felt motivated to try to quit after being exposed to the campaign.
The campaign is now entering a new phase which will highlight the health harms of vaping, including nicotine addiction, lung damage, breathlessness, nicotine poisoning and burns from exploding vapes.
Cancer Institute NSW chief cancer officer and CEO Professor Tracey O’Brien said it was encouraging to see that tens of thousands of young people were trying to quit vaping or thinking about doing so.
However, she said vaping remained a significant public health issue. She said the new Pave app provided another avenue by which young people could be encouraged to seek help and stay on track on their quit journey.
“Vaping can cause significant health harms and can be highly addictive,” said Professor O’Brien.
“Like cigarettes, vapes are also full of harmful chemicals that have been known to cause cancer and there is growing evidence that young people who vape are more likely to take up smoking, which can significantly increase their cancer risk.”