HEALTH MINISTER MARK BUTLER is rightly concerned that youth smoking has increased substantially on his watch. However, his claim that youth vaping is the cause warrants closer examination.
Recent statistics are indeed troubling, with the smoking rate among 14-17-year-olds climbing to 6.7% in 2022 and 12.8% in early 2023, according to government figures. Concurrently, the vaping rate in this age group stands at 14.5%. The Minister’s view is that vaping has triggered this increase in youth smoking and that more restrictive policies are needed.
However, comparable nations with similar rates of youth vaping have witnessed a substantial decline in youth smoking—down to figures as low as 1.1% in the U.S., 2% in Canada, and 3% in both New Zealand and England
This latest evidence from overseas suggests that a different regulatory approach might yield better outcomes
A moratorium on vaping policy
There are compelling reasons to consider a moratorium on further legislative changes regarding vaping:
The prescription model has faced significant opposition from medical professionals and consumers alike. It is a de facto ban that has fuelled a thriving black market controlled by criminal networks, leading to fire-bombing, extortion, gang wars, murders and money laundering.
A tightly regulated consumer market could offer safer products, dismantle the black market, restrict youth access, and provide a controlled avenue for adult smokers looking to quit, not to mention the fiscal benefits of taxation.
Growing evidence suggests that the health risks associated with youth vaping are relatively minor, especially when compared to smoking. Most young non-smokers who vape do so infrequently and transiently and are exposed to low levels of chemicals.
Rather than being a gateway to smoking, vaping is diverting young people away from smoking overall. An increase in youth vaping rates is associated with an accelerated decline in youth smoking in many countries where vaping is more effectively regulated, such as the US:
Moreover, vaping trends among teens may be more ephemeral than previously thought. For instance, in the U.S., high school vaping has plummeted by 64% from its peak in 2019 (see figure above). Similarly, there was a 20% decline in Canada from 2019-2022 and possible stabilisation in New Zealand.
Mr Butler has noted that adult smoking has ‘essentially flatlined’ in Australia. However, other western countries which regulate vaping as an adult consumer product like cigarettes and alcohol have seen an accelerated decline in adult smoking rates. .</FONT COLOR=”#ffffff”>
Public health before politics
In light of the evidence, it is imperative for policymakers to remain adaptable. The admission of a policy’s shortcomings is not an indication of failure but of commitment to public health. A tightly regulated adult-only consumer model for vaping, underpinned by stringent controls and age restrictions, might represent a more effective strategy moving forward.
National Party leader David Littleproud’s recent admission of his misjudgement regarding the prescription model is commendable. It reflects the kind of responsiveness and humility that should be at the heart of policy-making.
It is time for a policy pivot. By placing public health above political expediency, we can align Australia’s vaping policy with both the latest empirical evidence and international best practice.