News release

From: New Zealand Medical Journal

Our study examined vaping among teenagers in Canterbury and found that vaping is now extremely common. Two-thirds had tried vaping, and nearly half were vaping regularly, meaning at least weekly. Young people who grew up facing significant hardship were especially affected, with almost 90% of this higher-risk group having ever vaped before and many showing signs of nicotine addiction such as withdrawal and struggling to cut down. Most regular vapers had never smoked cigarettes, showing that vaping is creating a new route into nicotine dependence for teens who might have otherwise never used tobacco. Many were using high-nicotine vape products, which can make quitting even more difficult. These findings show an urgent need for stronger protections and better support to help young people, particularly those already at risk for poorer health outcomes, avoid or reduce vaping.