SAHMRI research has revealed an encouraging decline in vaping rates among young South Australians, showing signs that new legislation banning the sale and importation of vapes is already having a positive effect on public health.

The promising results were announced at a recent press conference by Federal Health Minister Mark Butler, State Health Minister Chris Picton and State Education Minister, Blair Boyer.

Led by Professor Caroline Miller, SAHMRI’s Health Policy Centre has been studying vaping trends for the past decade and continues to play an active role in supporting State and Federal Government action on vaping, acting as a key resource supplying the latest research.

“From 2023 to 2024 we saw a rapid decline in vaping among 15 to 29-year olds, going from over 15 per cent, to just under 11 per cent,” Prof Miller said.

“Vaping also appears to also be losing favour with 30 to 59-year olds, with participation nearly halving from 6.7 per cent down to 3.5 per cent.”

The ministers’ praised the robustness of SAHMRI’s vaping research for being ‘world-leading’, and a driving force behind the government’s pioneering policy legislation.

The sweeping changes have been implemented in response to the drastic rise in vaping among teenagers and young adults due to the mass importation of brightly coloured, fruit flavoured disposable vape products.

Vapes are known to be packed with huge quantities of highly-addictive nicotine, along with hundreds of other chemicals, including heavy metals, which can pose a risk to the user, especially with frequent use over a prolonged period.

Previous studies undertaken by SAHMRI made it clear vapes were everywhere, with the devices being made easily accessible to school age children, fuelling a powder keg of health and behavioural issues.

“Parents have told me about the terrible effects of their children getting addicted, including problems sleeping, difficulty concentrating at school and lack of appetite, with kids even resorting to hiding vapes under their pillows at night,” Minister Picton said.

“The only thing we should be putting in our lungs is air and we are glad that important health message is reaching young South Australians.”

Professor Miller says the numbers are cause for optimism that vaping hasn’t yet become so entrenched in the community that it can’t be reversed.

“Some said it was too late to do anything about vaping, we can now see that was incorrect. This data shows that with evidence-based effective public health policy reform, we can turn this trend around,” Prof Miller said.

“These results show Australia’s world leading reforms are working to stamp out vaping and smoking and helping Australians to live healthier lives,” Minister Butler said.

SAHMRI Executive Director, Professor Maria Makrides says the Government’s confidence in the Health Policy Centre’s research and advice is a prime example of SAHMRI delivering the kind of translational science it was created for.

“This is a practical and impactful example demonstrating a direct positive link between SAHMRI’s research supporting evidence-based policy and legislation to support healthier behaviours for public health benefit,” Prof Makrides said.

“As a translational research institute, I am proud of our efforts to prioritise the key experiments that advance health for all.”

The news was covered locally by 7NEWS, 9 News and 10 News First, and nationally by the ABC and The Guardian.