Queensland Government

Pippa Starr
Apr 17
3 min read

April 2025 - Report of the Chief Health Officer Queensland

https://www.choreport.health.qld.gov.au/our-lifestyle/electronic-cigarettes

Why the report is WRONG!:

The Chief Health Officer (CHO) of Queensland’s statement on vaping contains several assertions that are either misleading, unsupported, or contradicted by high-quality international evidence and expert reviews. Here’s a breakdown of what he likely got wrong or misrepresented, backed by authoritative sources:

🚫 1. “Limited evidence that vaping is effective for smoking cessation”

What the evidence actually says:

This claim contradicts high-quality, peer-reviewed reviews. According to the UK Office for Health Improvement and Disparities 2022 report:

“There is now high certainty evidence that nicotine vaping products are more effective than nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)”.

The NHS confirms this too:

“Nicotine vapes are one of the most effective stop smoking aids”.

Colin Mendelsohn’s evidence review further states:

“Vaping is at least as effective as any other quitting method and is the most popular method for quitting smoking in Australia”.

🚫 2. “Non-smokers who vape are 3 times more likely to go on to smoke”

What the evidence actually says:

This “gateway” claim is based on association, not causation. According to the UK Royal College of Physicians and Cancer Research UK:

“The association is most likely due to shared risk factors (e.g. risk-taking behaviours), not because vaping causes smoking”.

Dr Mendelsohn's review agrees:

“Most vaping by young never-smokers is experimental and short-term. The association with smoking is due to shared vulnerability, not causality”.

🚫 3. “Vaping leads to longer nicotine exposure than other cessation methods”

What the evidence actually says:

This claim oversimplifies nicotine use. While some vapers may use nicotine for longer, nicotine is not the primary cause of smoking-related harm. NHS clarifies:

“Although nicotine is addictive, it is relatively harmless. It does not cause cancer, heart disease, or lung disease”.

Prolonged nicotine use in a cleaner form (vaping) may be preferable to relapse into smoking.

🚫 4. “Vaping causes lung damage, injuries, and burns”

What the evidence actually says:

There is no solid evidence that vaping causes lasting lung damage when using legal products. The CHO may be conflating this with EVALI, a US outbreak linked to illicit THC vapes, not nicotine vapes.

Cancer Research UK confirms:

“There have been no confirmed cases of popcorn lung from vaping”.

🚫 5. “Negative cardiovascular effects”

What the evidence actually says:

Short-term effects like slight increases in blood pressure and heart rate have been noted, but the long-term cardiovascular risk is vastly lower than smoking. As the Royal College of Physicians put it:

“E-cigarettes are much safer than smoking and unlikely to exceed 5% of the risks”.

🚫 6. “Adolescent brain development disruption”

What the evidence actually says:

This is a highly debated and uncertain area. The claim is largely drawn from animal studies with high doses of nicotine. UK experts note:

“The risks of youth vaping are relatively minor, and at a population level, vaping may displace smoking”.

🚫 7. “Australian governments take an evidence-based approach”

What the evidence actually says:

Australia’s current prescription-only model has been widely criticised as ineffective:

“The current regulatory model has failed. It has created a thriving black market and has not prevented youth access”.

The RANZCP, representing psychiatrists across Australia and NZ, supports vaping for harm reduction when other methods fail.

🚫 8. “Dual use presents a public health challenge”

What the evidence actually says:

Dual use can be a transitional phase for smokers. According to Public Health England:

“Most dual users eventually quit smoking entirely. The key harm reduction comes when vaping replaces smoking”.

✅ WHAT THEY GOT RIGHT:

Youth vaping is a concern and should be addressed with balanced regulation.
Vaping is not risk-free and non-smokers should not vape.
Illegal and unregulated product access, especially to children, is a real issue in Australia due to policy failures.