“I Match The Colours To My Nails”: How Vaping Takes Hold Of People’s Lives
Come January 1, 2024, the importation of disposable vapes will be banned in Australia. Mark Butler, Minister for Health and Aged Care, announced that the reforms are only the beginning of tightening restrictions to “protect Australians, particularly young people” from vaping.
Vaping addiction has been a growing concern in Australia for quite some time now. Last year a large study found that vaping can cause poisoning, injuries, burns, and immediate toxicity through inhalation, inducing seizures. A large concern is how many people aged 16-25 are vaping, some with serious addictions. According to Butler’s press release, data from the first quarter of 2023 shows one in seven people aged 14-17 and one in five 18-24 year olds are current vapers. Vapers in those age brackets are now three times more likely to take up tobacco smoking compared to those who don’t vape.
The newest ban on disposable single use vapes joins a long list of attempts made by health officials and the Australian government to crack down on vaping. Butler’s new restrictions include a new Special Access Scheme pathway where people can be prescribed vapes where “clinically appropriate”. From March 1, 2024, there will be bans on the personal importation of vapes and non-therapeutic vapes along with a string of other requirements for importers. The biggest change will probably be the limiting of flavours, nicotine concentrations, and a move to plain packaging. The Australian Border Force will receive $25 million and the Therapeutic Goods Administration an extra $56.9 million in funding over two years to enforce and oversee the reforms. Services like Quitline and the My Quit Buddy app will receive extra funding to help improve access for those seeking addiction guidance and support.
“Vaping was sold to governments and communities around the world as a therapeutic product to help long-term smokers quit. It was not sold as a recreational product — especially not one targeted to our kids but that is what it has become,” Butler said in the announcement.
We often see announcements such as these where our generation is talked at rather than spoken with. If vaping is having a great impact on our lives, we should be included in discussions about it so we can all better serve those who are addicted.
Junkee hit the streets of Sydney to get a better sense of how frequently young people are vaping and what they think of the government’s new reforms.
What’s the most annoying misconception about vaping?
Sophie, 22 (social vaper): Some people [in my life] have a derogatory view of [vaping]… but is it even a bad thing? I don’t know, maybe for my health but socially is it bad? People just have strong disparate views on vaping.
Tilly, 21 (vaper): That it’s easy to quit.
Lily, 16 (non-vaper): I don’t vape myself but I really dislike the whole social aspect of it. I think it’s really stupid honestly. It’s just like flavoured air. It’s a ploy from companies — tobacco companies and nicotine companies — to make a new generation of children addicted to their products.
Emma, 16 (non-vaper): A lot of people think it looks really cool, but it doesn’t.
Tim, 19 (vaper): All the misinformation and relating it to smoking. I feel like it’s a completely different thing. It’s probably bad but we don’t know the long term effects.
Axel, 24 (social vaper): Casting someone aside because [they vape].
Why did you start vaping?
Maddie, 17 (non-vaper): People at school are doing it. I think a lot of people do it because they think it’s going to be a fun flavour [and then] get hooked by them.
Tilly: It was definitely a social thing and I think it’s social for a lot of people but what made me continue a lot was studying. It really helps me to study and focus.
Sophie: For me it started as a little bit of a rebellious thing. I’ve got strict parents [so I was like] ‘Oh I’m going to hit someone’s vape’. But I definitely only do it socially. If I’m out drinking, that will enhance it.
Axel: I don’t do it often but alcohol has something to do with it. It’s so easily accessible that when you’re tipsy or drunk you just buy a vape quickly. Also it doesn’t hurt like a cigarette would on your throat.
How do you feel about quitting vaping?
Tilly: I was planning on quitting next year and I think the laws are going to help me. It’s hard because in the studying sense I’m like ‘Is it actually helping me? Do I even want to [quit]?’ I think I do want to, so I am going to try next year.
Sophie: I have convinced myself I don’t need to quit because I’m not addicted so that’s where I’m at.
How have you tried to curb your vaping?
Tilly: I’ve actually quit in the past, not even on purpose. When I was travelling overseas the vape nicotine was really weak so I found myself not wanting it as much. As soon as I came back to Australia I got a vape and thought ‘Oh this is way more addictive’. I also have tried strategies of leaving it in my room when I’m going out or not bringing it to work.
Sophie: I try not to buy my own and not bring it with me if I have bought one. Overseas I didn’t [vape] because they either had disgusting flavours like mint, not a good mint, or tobacco flavoured and it was also half the percentage [of nicotine].
Tim: Everyone who [vapes] has about six times where they say they’ll quit but they haven’t done it. It really comes down to self control.
Are there any health concerns you have related to your vaping?
Ciana, 19 – Social vaper: I always feel really sick [when I vape]. It’s hard to stop doing it when you don’t know the end result. I don’t do it enough to see drastic differences but running is a bit more difficult.
Tilly: For me, because it restricts your appetite a lot, I was getting worried about eating enough food. I felt like I lost a lot of weight vaping so that’s another reason why I would quit.
Sophie: I know someone who has had a lung collapse so that was on my mind.
Tim: The big one is stamina. You can’t keep up with shit like sport. [I’ve been vaping] for maybe three or four years.
How do you think the government can effectively use the allocated budget of $511.1 million to curb vaping?
Sophie: New Zealand proposed to limit the sales of people under a certain age and I think that would be beneficial to stop it — when you’re younger before those unhealthy habits set it. I was disappointed that they didn’t go through with that.
Tilly: Any kind of criminalisation or punishment [won’t work]. The target audience should be young people with some kind of education strategies.
Lily: On TikTok you do see those marketing ads telling people to stop vaping but education in schools is very important. I feel like it should probably be part of the curriculum, to inform people about what they’re actually inhaling into their bodies.
Emma: [Don’t use] the ‘Stop Vaping’ posters. Nobody’s reading those. I see so many posters like ‘stop doing this, stop doing this’, it’s not gonna help anyone. If you want to show the bad sides, maybe putting people’s stories, if they’ve had really bad health effects from it, maybe broadcasting that [could help].
Maddie: On my TikTok feed, I get a lot of ads and a lot of posters [at school] that are supposed to be de-influencing people. No-one’s listening to that. Especially at our age. Either they skip the ad, or ignore the poster. No 16 year old is seeing those and going ‘oh… I have to stop!’. I think telling people exactly what’s in it… when you actually read out a list of the chemicals that are in it, you’re like ‘ooh, that sounds nasty’. [There needs to be] more support for addicted teens, specifically.
Tim: I feel like they always say [this] but never follow through. There [isn’t much support] from what I’ve seen. There were Instagram ads a while back that said ‘vaping kills’… are you trying to get us to quit or shame us for it? Be a bit more reasonable with it. Promote the support aspect of it… you don’t want to feel like you’re being shamed. Just putting money into support would be best.
Ciana: The documentary they brought out. I’ve been told that it’s good because once you watch it you don’t want to vape anymore. That’s why I don’t want to watch it. I’ll just feel guilty because you know that it’s wrong but don’t know how to stop and then you see the ads about trying to stop. You don’t really think about it when it’s in your hand because what’s one more?
Do you think a lack of flavours and plain packaging would help people stop vaping?
Tilly: I think lack of flavours would help. I don’t know about plain packaging… I match the colours [of the vapes] to my nails.
Sophie: If there wasn’t a vape option I’d probably be smoking cigarettes. I don’t think the packaging [will help] to be honest. The packaging is not what you’re looking for but definitely the flavours would help.
Lily: I think it is something that would help. I guess the [plain] packaging is good and limited flavouring but I also don’t think that it’s gonna stop the problem.
Tim: I feel like if you’ve started [vaping] you’ve got yourself in a bad position. I think it would definitely influence younger people. The colours are sick.
Ciana: I think the plain packaging would steer it away from the younger generation but people already addicted would keep going.
Axel: I think removing the flavours might be a good thing, it makes it less trendy and less of a commodity… and less attractive to younger audiences.
Ky is a proud Kamilaroi and Dharug person and writer at Junkee. Follow them on Instagram or on X.
Image credit: Getty