Tobacco smoking is the single most important preventable cause of ill health and death in Australia. E-cigarettes are products that create aerosols containing flavouring agents that are inhaled and simulate tobacco smoking. They can serve as a “gateway” to nicotine addiction and tobacco cigarette smoking.

 

Trends in tobacco and e-cigarette use between 2015 and 2022 were investigated in an ACT sample using routinely collected population health survey data. 

 

The analyses are based on a multi-year dataset comprising 9,978 participants aged 18 years and over who participated in the ACTGHS between 2015 and 2022. Respondents were asked to self-report their tobacco and e-cigarette use. 

 

Between 2015 and 2022, the proportion of adults who reported that they were daily/occasional smokers remained stable. In 2022, the proportion of male non-smokers was significantly lower than females (45.8% vs 54.1%).

 

Between 2015 and 2022, the proportion of adults who reported that they had ever used e-cigarettes was significantly higher in 2022 than in all years except 2021. Between 2018 and 2022, there was a 4-fold increase in the proportion of adults aged 18–24 years who had ever used e-cigarettes.

 

Self-reported data show that e-cigarette use is increasing over time, particularly among younger adults and females which will have significant implications for public health policy.

 

The Minister for Health and Aged Care recently announced funding measures to protect Australians against harm caused by tobacco and vaping products. The monitoring of tobacco and e-cigarette use over time will help inform the impact of these measures

 

Sommer Sherwood, Pramod Adhikari, Warren Holroyd, Elizabeth Chalker
 
 

1.     ACT Health Directorate, Phillip, ACT, 2606