E-cigarettes

The immediate and short terms effects are known to impact both the body and mind.

Physical effects

• Mouth and airway irritation
• Burns from e-cigarette overheating or exploding
• Persistent cough
• Chest pain
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Nausea
• Heart palpitations
• Poison from e-cigarette liquid (if swallowed)
• Shortness of breath
• Seizures
• Throat irritation
• Vomiting

​There are many types of e-cigarettes available that can look like metallic wands, pens, highlighters, USBs or other hand-held devices. They are available in thousands of flavours.

There are three main types of e-cigarettes:

• Minis – These are disposable e-cigarettes and tend to be most popular with young people.
• Closed pod e-cigs – These contain liquid pods that can be replaced when it runs out. These products tend to look like minis however are not disposable.
• Refillable systems – For these devices, the e-liquid can be directly re-filled into the devices. They are also known as Mods, Tanks or APVs. 
  

​It is illegal to sell e-cigarettes and accessories to a person under 18 years old. E-cigarettes that do not contain nicotine are legal for adults to purchase only.

E-cigarettes and e-liquids that do contain nicotine can only be prescribed by a GP for smoking cessation purposes and are a prescription only medicine. It is illegal for retailers (other than pharmacies) to sell e-cigarettes containing nicotine, including online sales.

The same smoke-free environment laws apply to e-cigarettes as they do to conventional cigarettes. E-cigarettes cannot be used in smoke-free areas and are banned in all enclosed public places such as shopping centres, pubs, clubs, cinemas and libraries. Vaping is also banned in a number of outdoor public places. These include:

• within 10 metres of a children's playground equipment
• public swimming pools
• spectator areas of sporting grounds used for organised sporting events
• public transport stops and platforms
• within 4 metres of the entrance to a public building
• in seated commercial outdoor dining areas where food is served

It is also against the law to smoke or use an e-cigarette in a car while a child under the age of 16 is present.

For more information on smoke free laws, visit 'Smoke free laws' on the NSW Health website.

​There has been a rapid rise of vaping in young people over recent years. Despite e-cigarettes being illegal for young people, it is still easy for young people to get a vape illegally at a shop or online.

The flavours (such as watermelon, grape, caramel, bubble-gum, vanilla and mint) and colourful packaging used for vapes make them appealing to young people. E-cigarettes also come in many shapes and sizes, including everyday items, making them easy to conceal.  Many vapes contain nicotine, regardless of what the packaging says, which young people can become addicted to very quickly.

Nicotine is highly addictive for young brains and it can cause long-lasting negative effects on brain development. The impacts can include impaired attention, learning, memory, and changes in mood. Vapes can leave a young person at increased risk of depression and anxiety.

Vaping can be a gateway to conventional smoking, especially for young people. Non-smokers who use e-cigarettes are around three times as likely to take up conventional smoking compared to their peers who don't use e-cigarettes. It is known that tobacco companies have used many strategies, such as the promotion of e-cigarettes to get young people addicted to their products. 

​Electronic cigarettes are often marketed as a method to assist smokers to quit, or as a 'safe alternative' to conventional cigarettes.

There is currently insufficient evidence to support these claims and no brand of e-cigarette has been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for this purpose.

​E-cigarettes are not a safe alternative to smoking during pregnancy and breastfeeding. No amount of nicotine can be safe during pregnancy. E-cigarettes contain many harmful chemicals and can include nicotine, which can be harmful for pregnant women and the developing baby. 

Fetal nicotine exposure can have adverse effects including:

• preterm delivery
• low birth weight
• stillbirth
• impaired lung and brain development
• sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

There is also no evidence that e-cigarettes are an effective cessation aid for pregnant women.

When breastfeeding, the chemicals and nicotine can flow into milk supply and disrupt milk supply. If babies are exposed to nicotine through breast milk, they are prone to ear and lung infections, vomiting, diarrhoea, and increased irritability.

​E-cigarettes, especially disposable ones, are increasingly being littered into the environment.

E-cigarettes pose a threat to our environment for three reasons:

1. Disposable e-cigarettes and cartridges are made of single use plastic.
2. Vapes produce electronic waste as they contain lithium-ion batteries and a heating element.
3. They introduce hazardous and toxic chemicals like nicotine into the environment when used and discarded.

When e-cigarettes are littered into the environment, they can be choking hazards if eaten by animals - and they can puncture, explode, or burn. They could also be toxic and potentially deadly for animals due to the battery and chemicals.

There is currently no safe way of disposing of e-cigarettes. 

​The secondhand exposure risks of vaping are not entirely known and the long-term impacts are still being researched. E-cigarettes do expose people to secondhand aerosol or "vapour" that can contain harmful substances. 

There is evidence that non-smokers passively exposed to e-cigarettes absorb nicotine. Secondhand exposure to vaping can affect everyone, however some groups are at higher risk for negative health effects including:

• Infants and children – lower body weight and developing respiratory systems put infants and children at higher risk in developing negative health outcomes from vapour.
• Pregnant and breastfeeding women – any exposure of nicotine is harmful for developing babies.
• People who have lung conditions - secondhand vapour exposure may cause asthma attacks and trigger other symptoms that will make their condition worse. 

​E-cigarettes often contain nicotine making them very addictive. The more that someone vapes, the more the brain and body get used to nicotine and it is harder to go without it. Once someone is addicted to nicotine and they go without it, the nicotine in the blood stream drops, and they have strong urges to vape.

When someone quits vaping, they may have nicotine withdrawal and experience unpleasant physical and mental symptoms. The side effects of nicotine withdrawal can be uncomfortable. Some symptoms can include headaches, irritability, feeling sad and anxious, having trouble concentrating and feeling hungry.

• Young people should see their General Practitioner, youth health service, or other health services for help to quit vaping.
• Quitline counsellors are available to answer any questions about vapes on 13 7848 (13 QUIT). Quitline is a telephone-based service offering information and advice. Quitline counsellors provide tips and strategies, and help people to plan their quit attempts, based on their own needs and preferences. They can also help parents and carers think of ways to approach a conversation about vaping with young people.
• The Aboriginal Quitline is also available on 13 7848. Run by Aboriginal counsellors, the Aboriginal Quitline is a telephone-based confidential advice and support service.
• If you require assistance in a language other than English, Quitline has counsellors who speak Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin and Vietnamese. You can ask to speak to one of these counsellors. For people who prefer to speak in a different language, Quitline uses the Telephone Interpreter Service (TIS).
• The Cancer Institute NSW iCanQuit website provides information on quitting methods, links to support groups and top tips to help young people quit.
• Too much nicotine from vapes can cause nicotine poisoning. If you think someone has been poisoned by liquid nicotine, please call the Poisons Centre on 13 11 26 immediately or 000 if it is an emergency. For more information see NSW Poisons Information Centre.
  

​NSW Health launched the 'Do you know what you're vaping?' campaign to raise awareness of the health risks of vaping in young people aged 14 to 17 years.

The social media campaign includes a Vaping Toolkit to support young people aged 14 to 17 years, parents, educators, health and other professionals, and community health organisation with information and strategies to educate and protect young people from the harms of e-cigarettes. All resources are on the NSW Health website: The facts about vaping.

The Lung Foundation Australia have also developed a suite of fact sheets for young people, young adults, parents and carers, and educators.