Heath warnings about the harmful effects of vaping featuring well-known science and television personality Dr Karl, and advertisements with South Australians who have successfully quit smoking, will form part of a broad ranging anti-vaping and anti-smoking campaign launching tomorrow.

The Malinauskas Labor Government is investing $2 million into this initiative, which aims to reduce vaping and smoking rates among South Australians, leading to significant health and economic benefits.

For the first time, advertisements about the harmful effects of vaping will form part of Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia (DASSA)’s campaign, with a series of social media, digital, outdoor and radio ads, to run over eight weeks. The messaging will target young people aged 15 to 25 years, and parents and carers of children aged 10 to 18 years.

It includes a series of ads featuring Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, warning young people about toxic chemicals found in vapes and the damage they do to lung cells.

‘Do you know what you’re vaping’ ads will run over the same period, highlighting the harmful chemicals found in vapes, such as those found in nail polish remover, bug spray and cleaning products.

E-cigarette use among South Australians aged 15 to 29 years has increased from 1.1 per cent in 2017 to 7.8 per cent in 2022.  The greatest concentration of outdoor ads will be in and around Hindley Street, due to the prominence of vaping in the precinct.

The vaping harms awareness campaigns feature advertisements developed by New South Wales and Queensland health departments.

Meanwhile, three new testimonial-style ads featuring people who successfully quit smoking will be rolled out over the next 12 months.

The ads have been developed by DASSA from powerful, longer testimonial videos that resonated strongly when tested with smokers.

South Australian Government investment in awareness campaigns using the latest evidence and advice from experts about the harms of smoking have contributed to a significant reduction in smoking prevalence in the past decade, from 20.7 per cent of the population in 2010 to 8.2 per cent in 2022.

However, smoking remains one of the most preventable causes of ill health and early death, particularly among Aboriginal people, with 37.7 per cent of Aboriginal adults smoking daily in 2018-2019.

Concerningly, data also shows a recent increase in smoking prevalence in regional South Australia, from 11.6 per cent in 2018 to 14.6 per cent in 2022.

Anyone wanting more information or needing support can call Quitline on 13 78 48, visit https://besmokefree.com.au/ or http://bevapefree.sa.gov.au.

Quotes

Attributable to Chris Picton

While smoking remains the biggest risk factor of preventable disease in South Australia, we are now also facing a vaping epidemic that is negatively impacting families, with close to eight percent of people aged 15 to 29 years now vaping and many unaware of the risks it poses.  

We are proud to launch this dual campaign that targets young people and families with information about the harms of vaping, and smokers with inspirational personal accounts from people who have benefited from quitting explaining how they have achieved this.

This anti-vaping ad campaign follows the eight-week enforcement blitz targeting the illegal sale of nicotine vapes in South Australia, along with the tough new licence conditions imposed by the Malinauskas Labor Government to crack down on the vaping scourge.

Attributable to DASSA Manager Tobacco Control Unit, Dr Clinton Cenko 

For more than a decade, advertising campaigns about the risks and harms of smoking have played a significant role in reducing the prevalence of smoking in South Australia. This proven approach will now also be applied to vaping harms awareness, to target young people who are taking up the habit in alarming numbers.

The vaping harms awareness ads have been developed to dispel the myth that vaping is harmless, and to educate young people and families about the toxic chemicals vapes contain and the damage they cause lung cells.

Additionally, our new anti-smoking ads include powerful and positive accounts of life after smoking, that reinforce that quitting is achievable with the right supports in place.