E-CIGARETTES, or vapes as they are more commonly known, can be toxic when inhaled and have recently become increasingly popular, with concerns that vaping is an issue in young people in Hamilton amid a rising number of children admitting to vaping nationally.

Health experts are warning Australians, particularly young people, that there are serious long-term health risks from vaping.

A recent study by researchers at Curtin University tested the chemicals and toxicity of 52 flavoured e-liquids available for sale over the counter in Australia which showed a “cocktail of chemicals” which raised serious concerns about risks to young people’s respiratory health.

The popularity of the habit has increased due to the misnomer that e-cigarettes are ‘less damaging’ than traditional cigarette smoking, and are designed to look similar to tobacco cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or items such as pens or USBs, and marketed to capture the attention of younger people.

The product is also more accessible than cigarettes for younger people, who are able to purchase them online without interception.

The Lung Foundation Australia said use of e-cigarettes can lead to nicotine addiction and tobacco cigarette smoking and called for a nationwide ban on over-the-counter sales of vapes and e-cigarettes, citing studies which found experimentation with e-cigarettes encouraged the use of tobacco cigarettes, particularly among young people.

Brophy’s Drug and Alcohol Responding Early (DARE) program is an Early Intervention Drug and Alcohol service for young people aged between 12 to 25 in south-west Victoria.

Brophy’s DARE Youth Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) practitioner, Gabi Mahony, noted in her experience of supporting young people and schools in Warrnambool, Portland and surrounding areas it would be deemed extremely likely that the uptake of vaping had increased in Hamilton at a rapid rate.

“We have received reports of vaping being an issue in Hamilton from other networks and it has certainly increased in prevalence amongst our current client base,” she said.

Ms Mahony said that evidence had linked use of e-cigarettes to asthma, chronic lung disease and cardiovascular disease, brain development, memory, concentration, learning, self-control, attention, and mood – and that these were discussed with young people within the DARE client base.

“We discuss the harms and risks of any substances the young people who receive support from our service choose to use, as well as providing information and education in group work programs at schools,” she said.

“We are continually developing our understanding on vaping by keeping an eye on the current research to ensure we are providing the most beneficial support that we can. 

 Ms Mahony said there needed to be more education on the dangers of vaping.

“Vaping is much more recent than the likes of cigarette smoking, so the research is still catching up and as a result of this there is not enough awareness of the risks that it could present to both physical and mental health, particularly for young people,” she said.

She said there is not a distinct age group that is more susceptible to addiction, however, young people are more vulnerable to social and environmental influences, such as peer pressure and perceived social norms, and have poorer impulse control and decision making abilities due to the stage of development their brain is at for their age.

“Research has shown that there are a multitude of factors that contribute to an individual’s susceptibility to addiction; genetics, environment and psychopathology,” she said.

Ms Mahony said she would advise parents who were concerned that their children or teenagers may be vaping, to have open and non-judgmental conversations with their children.

“Ask them questions about why they began vaping,” she said.

“If this conversation leads to them wanting to quit vaping and the young person identifies that they would like some support with this, that’s what DARE is for!

“We can be contacted through Brophy for a referral for the young person, to work with them and provide support to reach their goal, or we can provide some resources to parents with further information to help them as well.” 

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reported in March this year that 9.3 per cent of people aged 18 years and over have used an e-cigarette or vaping device at least once in their lives, and one in twelve (7.6 per cent) of people aged 15-17 years admitted to using an e-cigarette or vaping device at least once.

The ABS conceded however, that under-reporting of e-cigarette or vaping use by teenagers may have occurred.

Vapes are generally lithium battery-powered devices containing a cartridge filled with liquid or “juice” which typically contain nicotine, artificial flavourings, and various chemicals, some of which have been shown to be toxic.

The liquid is heated by the battery power into an aerosol, enabling the user to inhale the vapour into their lungs.

On June 23, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) released a report on the health impacts of e-cigarettes based on in-depth evidence reviews and an extensive toxicology report.

NHMRC clearly stated that the vapour from e-cigarette devices can be harmful and there is limited evidence that e-cigarettes are effective at helping smokers quit.

Professor Anne Kelso, chief executive of the NHMRC, said the latest national advice on e-cigarettes was timely as parents, schools, health practitioners and chief health officers around the country become increasingly concerned about e-cigarettes.

“Use of e-cigarettes or vaping by children and young people can affect their health and that will lead to future impacts on families, on the community, and on the health system,” she said.

Laws were introduced into Victoria late last year that stated e-cigarettes cannot be used in areas where smoking is banned, cannot be displayed at retailer outlets, and cannot be sold to people under 18 years of age.

Victoria Police recently laid charges on an Eltham shop-owner in Melbourne for selling vapes to children, which is believed to be the first time since the vaping laws came into effect.

They confiscated over 1000 vapes and charged the 56-year-old man with unauthorised supply of nicotine vapes, selling the products to underage teens, and with failure to hold an appropriate licence to sell nicotine vapes.

The combined value of the confiscated vapes, which were expected to sell for around $25 each in a range of fruit flavours, estimated to be at least $30,000 in total value.

While adults are free to buy and use e-cigarettes, those containing nicotine require a prescription.