How do I know if my child is vaping?

Young people in Australia who vape may be buying their vapes from tobacco shops or websites illegally supplying them. These products usually contain nicotine and are treated as ‘illicit vapes’ under Australian laws.

People 18 years and over can buy vapes from participating pharmacies in most states after a consultation with a pharmacist to help them quit smoking.

Vapes (also known as e-cigarettes) come in all shapes and sizes. They can look like everyday items commonly used by students such as a highlighter, a pen or USB, hoodie toggle, teddy bear or even a juice box. Some can be disposable, and some are small enough to fit into a pocket or a pencil case.

A vape can be identified by finding a mouthpiece. You may need to remove a cap to find this.

The easiest way to detect vape use is if there is an unexpected smell in the air from vape flavours. Teens tend to use fruity or sweet flavours, so this scent is usually sweet. Vapes come in flavours designed to be appealing, such as fruit (blueberry, cherry, grape, apple), mint/menthol or drinks (cola, pink lemonade).

Some children use large amounts of spray on deodorant to mask the smell of vaping.