Australian study: More than 20% of minors have tried e-cigarettes, with rural use rates matching cit

A study by the University of Sydney in Australia points out that the e-cigarette use rate among adolescents in rural Australia has reached the same level as in urban areas.

[2Firsts Express] On August 29, a study by the University of Sydney in Australia pointed out that the e-cigarette use rate among adolescents in rural Australia has reached the same level as in urban areas. According to newly published research in the Medical Journal of Australia, more than one-quarter of adolescents aged 14 to 17 have tried e-cigarettes, and one in ten used them in the past 30 days. 

The survey shows that 20 percent of respondents had used e-cigarettes in the past year, and this proportion was basically the same between rural and urban areas. 

The study was led by Dr. Lauren Gardner from the University of Sydney's MATilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, who said these findings raise concerns on multiple fronts. 

Dr. Gardner said:

“We found that the average age of first use was just 14.” 

Researchers surveyed 4,200 students at 70 schools in New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia to understand e-cigarette use among adolescents across Australia. The reported data show that students in rural areas use e-cigarettes at a level comparable to young people in urban areas. 

Professor Megan Passey, a rural health professor at an Australian university who was not involved in the study, said she was not surprised by the lack of a gap between rural and urban areas.

 Professor Passey explained:

“It does not surprise me that e-cigarette use is similarly high in rural and remote areas, but it is certainly concerning. We must urgently address this e-cigarette issue.” 

Dr. Gardner agreed, noting that access in rural areas is more limited, so traditional cigarette use is higher there. 

She said:

“Research usually focuses on young people in major cities, but we need to make sure that young people in rural and remote areas are also adequately represented.” 

References: 

【1】 One in four regional youth using vapes