Young People Are Using Cigarettes To Quit Vapes, Threatening Decades Of Anti-Tobacco Progress

Since vapes flooded the mainstream three-ish years ago, *many* young Aussies have become addicted — or more addicted — to nicotine. When we all had our first hits we genuinely believed they were better for our lungs than smoking tobacco. It’s just water vapour, right? How good! But now addiction rates among young people have risen so much it’s started to cause an uptick in cigarette smoking rates too, after decades of dramatic declines. The number of dual users of both e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes is rising in Australia, according to Quitline. “Anecdotally, Quitline has had reports of people who successfully quit smoking, tried vaping and ended up smoking again,” a Quitline spokesperson told PEDESTRIAN.TV. “Vaping can be difficult to control. You have a finite number of cigarettes in a pack and you might have 10 to 15 drags until the cigarette is finished. Some e-cigarettes contain up to 2,400 puffs so there’s no natural stopping point.” Melbourne resident David (surname withheld) has been socially smoking cigarettes for about eight years. He started vaping early last year and said it was “a different story”. “I don’t ‘enjoy’ vaping, it kind of has a hold on me,”David told PEDESTRIAN.TV. “I feel like smoking is healthier if I had to pick from the two due to the sheer amount I vape. With cigarettes, it’s literally only when I drink or like the occasional dart in company. But with vapes, it’s all day.” Another dual user from Melbourne Dirk Peterson