Australia’s up-to-date anti-vaping program in schools is a good step – but education is only part of the puzzle

Last week, the federal government announced the plan implement an anti-vaping program in schools across the country.

Educational program, the so-called Our futureaims to prevent teenage people from taking up vaping. It was developed by experts from the University of Sydney’s Matilda Center for Mental Health and Substance Operate Research, with input from teachers and teenage people.

So why do we need this program, what will it involve and will it be an effective way to stop teenage people from vaping? Let’s take a closer look.

Vaping is becoming more and more popular

AND study of Australian secondary school students in 2022–2023 showed that almost one in three people admitted they had tried vaping, while one in six had vaped in the previous month.

This represents a significant boost over time, with rates of both lifetime vaping and last month vaping more than doubling since 2017.

However, since this data was collected, new laws to control the supply of and access to vaporizers, with the goal of reducing the prevalence of vaping.

Growing evidence points to the harmful effects of vaping. AND Review 2022 found that vaping has been linked to a range of negative health effects, including poisoning, addiction, burns to the face, hands and thighs, lung damage and an increased likelihood of starting to smoke tobacco.

It has been found that vaporizers, i.e. e-cigarettes, contain many known chemicals cause cancerincluding formaldehyde, acetone and hefty metals such as nickel and lead. This means teenage vapers are inhaling chemicals found in nail polish remover, plastics, weed killers and industrial glues.

While we don’t yet understand the long-term health effects of vaping, the evidence we have so far shows that it’s critical to stop as many people as possible from taking up the habit.

What will the program involve?

OurFutures is designed for children ages 7 and 8 based on research findings. Students are guided by them four online lessonseach using a variety of activities and resources to educate them about the harms of vaping. Lessons also include information on the impact of social media, assertive communication, and how and where to seek support.

The government says the program will be able to reach over 3,000 schools throughout Australia.

Our research and this shows others that it is so optimal age reach teenage people because this is the time when they start experimenting and reach for a vaporizer.

This program is also extremely timely as teenage people they told us want vaping prevention messages in their schools to support them make informed decisions. These teenage people realize that there is a lack of reliable information.

Similarly, school staff (such as principals and teachers) admit they are unable to deal with the problem of vaping among students on my ownand called for support.

OurFutures is currently in a trial phase 40 schools in Recent South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia.

Preliminary results were positive. Immediately after completing the program, students learned more about the harms of vaping and reported a reduced desire to vape.

However, to our knowledge, the full results of the study have not yet been published. It is also unclear whether these results will be maintained in the long term.

AND review of school vaping prevention programs found that although many interventions improved knowledge, attitudes, and intentions about vaping in the compact term, these effects were not always maintained.

However, this review also suggested that multi-session programs, as is the case with OurFutures, were effective in preventing teenage people from starting vaping for longer periods of time.

An essential element of any public health program is its adaptability to different populations. Australia is a culturally and linguistically diverse country, with urban, regional and remote populations. It is currently unclear whether and how the program will take these differences into account.

The program should be part of a broader approach

Providing rational, evidence-based information in this way should support many teenage people taking part in this program better understand the potential health risks of vaping and therefore think twice before doing so.

However, school-based education programs are just one of a set of strategies needed to address youth vaping. Relying solely on teenage people to change their behavior is unrealistic and not best practice.

Youthful people operate in communities that are influenced by family, social norms and social structures. Education is great, but we need to stop exposure to and access to these harmful products.

Fortunately, Australia’s crackdown on vaping is world-leading. Welcome recently announced vaping reformsincluding stopping the import of vaporizers, selling them only behind pharmacy counters, and limiting flavors that limit their availability and attractiveness to students.

Since these vape laws were introduced, the Australian Border Force has ceased operating hundreds of thousands vapes coming to Australia.

Recent Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Act 2023 also limits advertising and promotion of vaporizers, including on social media. This means that the same bans that apply to tobacco advertising now also apply to vaporizers.

Our research shows that vaping was present widely promoted to teenage people on social media. Social media companies must ensure that the health of their users comes before commercial interests.

Only last week the government demanded a “digital duty of care” that would require social media companies to take steps to create a safer online environment for all Australians.

Ultimately, a national vaping prevention program for Australian students is a positive step. However, these need to be complemented by a range of strategies and continued government investment to support teenage people to avoid or stop vaping.