Vaping rates, alcohol and drug use by young women up

Older Australians are the most likely to smoke tobacco and younger people more likely to vape. (Diego Fedele/AAP PHOTOS)

The number of Australians smoking cigarettes continues to fall but vaping, alcohol and some illicit drugs are growing in popularity, a survey has found.

E-cigarette use was most common among 18 to 24-year-olds and increased substantially from 5.3 per cent in 2019 to 21 per cent in 2022-23, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare says.