By youth, for youth – Melton City Council’s Vaping Prevention Campaign

While smoking rates have substantially reduced in recent decades, growth in e-cigarette use (commonly known as vaping) presents a significant public health challenge, particularly among adolescents and young people. Evidence suggests that e-cigarettes may contain nicotine levels equivalent to 20 cigarettes,¹ and vaping is the single strongest risk factor for Victorian adolescents to take up tobacco smoking.² 

Data from Cancer Council Victoria’s Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer shows that current vaping prevalence has more than doubled between 2018-19 and 2022 in the North-Western Melbourne Primary Health Network catchment. In 2022, more adults in this catchment were currently using e-cigarettes in comparison to other regions in Victoria, with 7.8% of adults currently using e-cigarettes.³ 

Melton City Council and Western Health Community Health have co-designed a local vaping prevention campaign, designed by youth, for youth in their municipality and beyond.   

To address vaping misinformation, this campaign aims to increase children and young peoples’ knowledge and awareness of vaping harms. The campaign materials highlight the dangerous chemicals in vapes and the impact of these on young people’s health. 

The campaign launched on 11 March 2024 and will be running for six weeks, with the youth-designed resources available beyond that.  

Western Public Health Unit was excited to provide a preview of this new campaign at our second Vaping and Tobacco Action Group (V-TAG) meeting held in February 2024. 

This locally developed campaign highlights young peoples’ voices to address vaping-related harm.  

Call to action: Amplify this campaign in your community

The Western Public Health Unit encourages you to:

1. Visit Melton City Council’s Vaping Prevention Campaign website
2. Download, print and use these posters and social media tiles in schools, local sporting clubs, facilities and gyms, local businesses, libraries, community centres and online to spread awareness about the dangers of vaping. Permission from Melton City Council is not required. 

The Western Public Health Unit recommends any parent or young person with concerns about vaping addiction to seek help from their GP or contact the Quitline. 

References

1. R. Jackler, D. Ramamurthi, Nicotine arms race: JUUL and the high-nicotine product market, Tob Control, 28 (6) (2019), pp. 623-628. Available from: Nicotine arms race: JUUL and the high-nicotine product market | Tobacco Control (bmj.com)    
2. Scully M, Greenhalgh E, Bain E, Wakefield M, Durkin S, White V. E-cigarette use and other risk factors associated with tobacco smoking susceptibility among Australian adolescents. Aust N Z J Public Health. 2023 Aug 21:100076. doi: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2023.100076. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37620243.
3. Bayly M, Mitsopoulos E, Durkin S, Scollo M. Prevalence of e-cigarette use among priority groups and by region of Victoria: Findings from the 2018+19 and 2022 Victorian Smoking and Health Surveys. Melbourne Australia, Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria, September 2023. https://www.cancervic.org.au/downloads/cbrc_research_papers/2024/R23_EM_E-cigaretteprevalencebyprioritygroupandarea.pdf