Vaping and Smoking

We can help ourselves and others make more informed decisions around tobacco smoking and vaping…#whyichoose

Need help or support? In an emergency, always call Triple Zero (000) for emergency services.

The #whyichoose campaign is our annual community health promotion campaign led by our youth volunteers. It shares evidence on the health effects of tobacco smoking and vaping, and information on the tools, services and resources available to help young people and their communities seek help.

Let’s get the facts…

Nicotine is a stimulant drug which is extremely addictive and is the main chemical which causes dependency/addiction on tobacco (in cigarettes and shisha/waterpipe) and vapes. Nicotine (the highly addictive drug found in tobacco and many vapes) can affect brain development in young people causing impaired attention, learning and memory. (1,3)

Did you know?

Vapes are often unregulated and mislabelled. Research has shown that many vapes/e-liquids that do not list nicotine as an ingredient actually do contain nicotine. Vapes also contain harmful chemicals and heavy metals. (4)

While research around the health effects of vaping is still emerging, vaping is known to cause a diverse range of effects, which can include shortness of breath, coughing and chest pain and addiction. (1,2)

There is also conclusive evidence to show that vaping can sometimes cause more extreme effects, such as lung injury, poisoning, burns from inhalation or in some cases, seizures. (2)

Many studies have also proven that vapes have not been useful in helping people quit smoking cigarettes and in fact could increase a person’s chances of taking up tobacco smoking. (1)

Want to make safer decisions around tobacco smoking or vaping?

Safer decisions around tobacco smoking or vaping could be:

• Deciding not to smoke or vape
• Quitting smoking and/or vaping
• Cutting back
• Seeking support to quit or cut back
• Stepping away from your friends and family when you smoke a cigarette or vape
• Having a smoke and vape free study, work and home environment

Campaign partner: Ingleburn RSL Club

The #whyichoose campaign would not be possible without the support of our partner, Ingleburn RSL Club.

Youth Solutions extends its sincere thanks to the team at Ingleburn RSL Club for its ongoing support of Youth Solutions and the young people in our community.

Download the Competition Terms & Conditions for our #whyichoose quiz on our Disclaimer page.

Support services

There are a range of support services available that can help if someone is wanting information or help quitting tobacco smoking and/or vaping.

Need to chat through the information and options with someone? Our team can assist with providing information, brief advice and referral. Connect with us today: 02 4628 2319, info@youthsolutions.com.au or message us on Instagram, TikTok or Facebook.

Check out the Support section of our website for a full list of services, including resources in languages other than English.

References

1. National Health and Medical Research Council, 2017, NHMRC Submission (167) to the Parliamentary Inquiry into the use and marketing of electronic cigarettes in Australia, accessed 13 March 2023, via: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Health_Aged_Care_and_Sport/ElectronicCigarettes/Submissions.
2. Banks E, Yazidjoglou A, Brown S, Nguyen M, Martin M, Beckwith K, Daluwatta A, Campbell S, Joshy G. 2022, Electronic cigarettes and health outcomes: systematic review of global evidence. Report for the Australian Department of Health. National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Canberra: April 2022.
3. Shisha No Thanks n.d., Waterpipe Smoking Factsheet for Young People, accessed 13 March 2023, via: http://shishanothanks.org.au/resources/.
4. Chivers E, Janka M, Franklin P, Mullins B, Larcombe A. 2019, Nicotine and other potentially harmful compounds in “nicotine‐free” e‐cigarette liquids in Australia. Medical journal of Australia. 210(3):127-8.
5. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) 2018, What is EVALI?, accessed 13 March 2023, via: https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/what-is-evali.
6. The President and Fellows of Harvard College 2020, EVALI: New information on vaping-induced lung injury, accessed 13 March 2023, via: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/evali-new-information-on-vaping-induced-lung-injury-2020040319359.
7. Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Health and Aged Care, 2019, Smoking and tobacco and children, accessed 13 March 2023, via: https://www.health.gov.au/topics/smoking-and-tobacco/smoking-and-tobacco-throughout-life/smoking-and-tobacco-and-children.