Sydney: School-aged children in Australia are vaping less, according to new findings released a year after a nationwide ban on disposable vapes took effect.
The data comes from Generation Vape, a nationwide study conducted by Cancer Council Australia, which reveals a notable decline in vaping among 14 to 17-year-olds, with rates dropping from 17.5 percent at the start of 2023 to 14.6 percent by April 2024.
The study also showed that vaping among individuals aged 15 and older decreased by more than a third.
12 months on from the vaping reform legislation, we remain resolute to enforce the reforms. Over 10M illicit vapes have been seized in the past year & vaping rates are down for young Australians. It may take time but we’re here for the long haul for a healthier Australia. pic.twitter.com/eV6mkyvcyQ
— Mark Butler MP (@Mark_Butler_MP) July 16, 2025
Australia’s Health Minister Mark Butler welcomed the results, stating that vaping rates among young Australians ‘have now turned the corner.’ Butler also reported that authorities had seized over 10 million illegal vapes in the past year.
“Our education and prevention campaigns as well as support to deter people from taking up vaping and smoking or to quit are making a difference,” Butler noted in a public statement.
In July 2024, Australia introduced strict laws prohibiting the manufacture, import, advertising, and supply of single-use vapes. Under the new regulations, nicotine vapes can now only be legally purchased with a prescription from pharmacies. Despite these efforts, an active black market for nicotine vapes continues to thrive in the country.
Similar measures have been implemented in the UK, where the sale of disposable vapes was banned starting June 2025. While vapes are often viewed as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes due to the absence of tobacco, health experts warn that they are not risk-free, and the long-term health effects of vaping remain unclear.
Authorities in Australia, like in the UK, have voiced strong concerns about the rising popularity of vaping among youth. Minister Butler previously warned that vaping products were creating a new generation of nicotine addicts.
According to the latest Generation Vape survey, which gathered data from a pool of about 3,000 teenagers aged 14 to 17, 85.4 percent had never vaped. Moreover, less than one-third expressed any interest in trying vapes, which Cancer Council Australia says represents a significant drop in curiosity about the products.
The study also revealed changing attitudes among school-age children. Researchers noted that many current or former teen vapers now feel shame or embarrassment about their vape use, based on interviews conducted during the research.
Although fewer teenagers report being able to purchase vapes on their own, tobacconists and vape shops remain primary sources of supply, despite the recent bans.
Butler expressed optimism, saying the Minister is confident that ‘the peak of vaping’ is behind Australia. The Minister added that, “I know this is a tough fight and we’ve got a lot more to do, not just in the area of vaping, but illicit tobacco as well.”
Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in Australia, resulting in more than 24,000 deaths each year, even though the country has some of the strictest anti-smoking laws in the world.
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