E-cigarettes or vapes

Did you know that the City of Vincent’s Smoke-Free Town Centres Project also includes e-cigarettes? E-cigarettes, often called ‘vapes’, are electronic devices designed to deliver vapourised liquids into the lungs.

Contrary to common beliefs, vapes are not safe.

The City of Vincent is working to raise awareness about the risks of vaping, especially amongst young people.

Eight facts about vaping

1. Most vapes contain nicotine, like cigarettes.
   Nicotine is a highly addictive drug. One vape can have as much nicotine as 50 cigarettes.
2. Vaping can have negative impact on your health.
   Vapes can expose people to nicotine, chemicals and toxins that can be linked to serious lung disease, depression, and anxiety. Less direct evidence indicates adverse effects of e-cigarettes on cardiovascular health markers, including blood pressure and heart rate, lung function and adolescent brain development and function.
3. E-cigarettes are often labelled incorrectly.
   Even when they claim not to contain nicotine, they may contain high levels of nicotine.
4. Young people are targeted.
   From fruity flavours to easy to conceal packaging, vapes have been designed to appeal to young people. Research shows that in WA, 13.5 per cent of school students aged 12 to 17 have tried an e-cigarette.
5. Selling vapes is illegal in WA.
   It is illegal in WA to sell e-cigarette devices and nicotine vaping products unless they are prescribed by a doctor and obtained with a prescription from a pharmacy.
6. People who vape are more likely to start smoking cigarettes.
   Amongst young people, someone who vapes is three times as likely to start smoking cigarettes.
7. Vaping does not necessarily help with quitting smoking.
   There is limited evidence that e-cigarettes are an effective aid for quitting smoking. Vaping is more likely to lead to greater long-term exposure to nicotine than quitting.
8. Second-hand vaping can also have risks.
   E-cigarettes emit an aerosol into the air which can expose the person vaping and bystanders to potentially dangerous substances.

What is in a vape

The liquid in vapes is not water.

When you inhale aerosol from a vape, you can be exposed to potentially harmful substances such as:

• acetone found in nail polish remover.
• acrolein found in weed killer.
• 2-cholorophenol found in cleaning products and bug spray.

Many vaping products are incorrectly labelled as nicotine free when they do in fact contain nicotine on top of other chemicals.

How to quit vaping

Quitting vaping is similar than quitting smoking. You can read more about our advice on our dedicated page.

How to quit smoking or vaping 

More information and support

The City of Vincent's Fresh Air - You're Welcome project aims to reduce community exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, create healthy environments, free from smoking and vaping in our entertainment precincts, and promote options available to a person looking to quit smoking or vaping.

You can find all the best tips to quit at Make Smoking History.

For more information or support, visit vincent.wa.gov.au/smokefree.

Sources

The-facts-about-vaping-for-parents-and-carers-Do-you-know-what-theyre-vaping.pdf (healthywa.wa.gov.au)

E-cigarettes and vaping (healthywa.wa.gov.au)

E-cigarettes health outcomes review summary brief (anu.edu.au)