Australia Launches New Campaign to Combat Rising Vaping Rates Among Youth
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Australia is doubling down on its efforts to create a tobacco- and nicotine-free generation, launching a new phase of the national “Give Up For Good” campaign on January 19, 2026, aimed at curbing both smoking and the rapidly increasing use of vaping products, particularly among young people. The public health initiative will focus on bolstering access to cessation support and delivering targeted messaging to at-risk populations.
A National Approach to Nicotine Dependence
The renewed “Give Up For Good” campaign represents a structured, national strategy to support individuals struggling with nicotine dependence, whether from traditional tobacco or e-cigarettes. According to the Australian Department of Health, the campaign is rooted in the understanding that many individuals desire to quit but encounter obstacles related to addiction, insufficient information, or limited access to support systems.
The initiative will centralize a comprehensive suite of cessation resources on a dedicated platform. These resources include digital tools, tracking applications, personalized advice via services like the Quitline, and referrals to healthcare professionals such as general practitioners and pharmacists. A key tenet of the approach is recognizing that quitting is a process, and combining appropriate treatments with behavioral support significantly enhances the likelihood of success.
Targeted Messaging for Diverse Populations
The campaign’s communication strategy will employ differentiated targeting based on consumer profiles and health inequalities. Messages will be specifically tailored to individuals who smoke, those who vape, young adults, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations, who experience higher rates of smoking. The campaign will run through June 2026, utilizing a mix of traditional audiovisual media and digital platforms, including online services and streaming platforms, to reach target audiences in their daily lives.
Smoking Declines, But Vaping Threatens Progress
Recent data confirms Australia’s substantial progress in reducing tobacco use. The National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2022-2023 revealed that 11.1% of adults aged 18 and over currently smoke, with 8.8% smoking daily. These figures represent a continued decline, with smoking prevalence more than halving since 2001.
However, this progress is being challenged by a marked increase in e-cigarette use. The same survey found that 6.8% of Australian adults reported vaping in 2022-2023, up from 2.6% in 2019. This surge is particularly pronounced among young adults, with 20.6% of 18-24 year olds reporting vaping – a fourfold increase since 2019. Health authorities are increasingly concerned about the risk of nicotine addiction and the normalization of vaping.
Among adolescents, smoking rates are at historic lows, but vaping is widespread. A report on secondary school students’ tobacco and e-cigarette use in 2022-2023 indicated that 2% of students aged 12-17 had smoked in the week prior to the survey, while 16% had vaped in the previous month, and 5% reported regular use. The data suggests a coexistence of smoking and vaping among students, rather than a simple substitution.
Strict Regulations and the Path Forward
Australia maintains one of the world’s most stringent regulatory frameworks for tobacco and nicotine products. Nicotine-containing e-cigarettes are intended for supervised use as a smoking cessation aid and are, in principle, accessible only with a medical prescription through authorized channels, primarily pharmacies. Marketing, promotion, and unauthorized sales of these products are prohibited to limit exposure to young people and non-smokers.
Despite this robust framework, health authorities acknowledge the continued prevalence of vaping, particularly among adolescents and young adults, fueled by illicit markets and the appeal of flavored products. This situation underscores the need to combine regulations with enhanced prevention efforts, market controls, and accessible cessation support.
The latest phase of “Give Up For Good” aims to solidify Australia’s trajectory toward a tobacco- and nicotine-free generation by integrating strict regulation, targeted prevention, and readily available support. Australian authorities emphasize that controlling new nicotine products, especially vaping, is crucial to preserving the progress made and achieving long-term public health goals.
[1] Communiqué, New phase of ‘Give Up For Good’ campaign launches to help Australians quit smoking and vapingAustralian Government on health, disability and aged care, published January 19, 2026, accessed the same day
[2] Karen Sweaney, New phase of ‘Give Up For Good’ campaign targets smoking and vaping behaviour change, Australian Leisure, published January 19, 2026, accessed the same day.
