As a school counsellor, I speak with students about their well-being, and this week I had the opportunity to speak with our Year 9 cohort during SL@M (Student Life @ Mueller) about the topic of vaping. Given the prevalence and risks associated with vaping, I wanted to share some key insights from this presentation with you.

Understanding “Generation Alpha” and Vaping

To understand the rise of vaping, it is helpful to understand the context of the world in which our children growing. Generation Alpha, born between 2010 – 2024, is the first generation to be fully immersed in the digital world from birth. They are tech-savvy, resourceful, and shaped significantly by their peers and social media. This shapes how they communicate and connect with the world.

This digital immersion also presents challenges. The same year their generation began, Instagram was launched, marking a shift towards visual social media. While a great tool for connection, an over-reliance on screen-based communication can negatively impact their well-being. Vaping companies exploit these generational traits. Their marketing is primarily digital, using social media to portray vaping as cool, fun, and a way to gain social status and a sense of belonging. They use appealing fruit flavours like blueberry, apple, and banana, which can create a false association with health. These companies use a psychological method of change by gradually exposing young people to to the idea of vaping so that they start to believe that vaping is safe enough to try. Consequently, as the teenage brain is more susceptible to developing addictions, it is possible to develop a long term nicotine addiction from minimal vape use, even if it’s only at occasional parties.

The need to belong is a powerful driver for all of us but particularly during the teenage years, a crucial time for identity formation. Teenagers are reviewing their values and deciding who they want to be. The desire for peer acceptance is strong, which is one of the reasons most teenagers (63% in one cited example) get their vapes from friends. Vaping can offer a sense of belonging and short-term friendships, but it comes with the high price of a long-term, devastating addiction.

The Health Risks of Vaping

Despite clever marketing, vaping is not a safe alternative to smoking for young people. Both are poisonous. Research highlights several significant risks associated with youth vaping:
* Young people who vape are three times more likely to start smoking cigarettes.
* Vaping is linked to an increased use of other substances like marijuana and alcohol.
* There is an increased risk of respiratory diseases, known as E-cigarette or Vaping Associated Lung Injury (EVALI).
* One study indicated that young people who vape are 40% more likely to experience mood disorders and/other anxiety.

A specific chemical of concern is diacetyl. This flavouring agent, safe to eat in products like popcorn, is not safe to inhale. Inhaling too much diacetyl holds the risk of causing bronchiolitis obliterans, or “popcorn lung,” an irreversible and rare condition that involves scarring of the lungs and makes breathing difficult. Researchers at Harvard found diacetyl in 39 out of 51 e-cigarette brands, which should be a cause for concern.

A Hopeful Trend and a Challenge

Encouragingly, recent data shows a slight decline in vaping rates among 14 to 17-year-olds in Australia, dropping from 18% in 2023 to 15% in 2025. This shows a decrease in the past year, which is likely to decrease even further with the newly introduced social media ban and other government regulations. Your children have the influence to continue this downward trend and model healthier choices for their younger peers. I put the challenge out to them to be the generation that reverses this trend.

In my next article, I will discuss a quit plan, outlining practical assessments and interventions that can support young people in overcoming a vaping addiction.