Vaping: What You Need to Know (and Why It’s Not as Harmless as It Looks)
Vaping has become part of uni life for a lot of people.
You see it between classes.
On nights out.
On the walk across campus.
It’s often marked as “less harmful” than smoking a cigarette. But the reality is more complicated.
Why This Matters
If you’re between 18-24 (typical university age), you’re in the group most likely to vape in NSW.
At the same time, this is also when your brain is still developing, particularly the parts responsible for:
- Decision-making
- Focus
- Memory
- Impulse Control
And that’s where vaping starts to have a bigger impact than most people realise.
What’s Actually in a Vape?
Vapes aren’t just “water vapour.”
According to NSW Health:
- They contain Over 200 Chemicals, many known to harm health
- Some of these chemicals are linked to cancer, heart disease and lung disease
- Testing has found substances like ethylene glycol (used in antifreeze) in some vapes
The key issue? You often don’t know what you’re inhaling.
The Mental Health Side No One Talks About
Vaping isn’t just physical, it also impacts your mental health.
NSW Health highlights that vaping can:
- Increase anxiety and depression risk
- Affect concentration, learning and memory.
- Create nicotine dependence, which can worsen stress over time
It can feel like it helps in the moment, but often, it’s actually reinforcing the cycle.
Nicotine: The Part That Hooks You
Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances out there.
With Vaping:
- Levels can be higher and less predictable than regular cigarettes
- Addiction can develop quickly
- withdrawal can feel like:
- irritability
- low mood
- trouble concentrating
For young adults, nicotine can also rewire the brain to be more susceptible to addiction long-term.
It’s Not Just a “Safer Alternative”
One of the biggest misconceptions is that vaping is harmless compared to smoking.
But NSW Health is clear:
- Vaping does cause harm
- It can lead to lung damage, breathlessness and ongoing health issues
- People who vape are significantly more likely to start smoking cigarettes
Why People Start (and Why It’s Hard to Stop)
Most people don’t start vaping thinking they’ll get addicted. It’s usually:
- Social
- Curiosity
- Stress Relief
- Something to do
But over time, it can shift from a choice to a habit and then to a dependency.
In Australia, around 1 in 3 young people who vape say they’ve tried to stop but couldn’t.
Trying to Quit? There’s an App for That
Quitting vaping isn’t just about willpower, and doing it without support only makes it harder.
NSW Health has backed a free app called Pave, designed specifically for young people trying to quit.
What is Pave?
Pave App is a free vaping cessation app developed by the Cancer Institute NSW and co-designed with young people aged 14-24. It’s designed to support you whether you’re:
- Just thinking about quitting
- Trying to cut down
- or already on your way to be vape free
How it Actually Helps
Pave gives you practical tools you’ll actually use:
- Personalised tips based on where you’re at
- Daily Check-ins to keep you accountable
- Craving distractions to get you through the tough moments
- Progress tracking so you can see how far you’ve come
- Savings Calculator to show how much money you’re saving
- Direct connection to Quitline if you want extra support.
It’s not about being perfect, it’s about building momentum.
Why It Works
What makes Pave different is that it’s built around how people actually quit, not how they think they should quit.
- It focuses on small, daily actions
- It helps you understand what to expect when quitting
- It supports you through cravings instead of ignoring them.
Start Here:
- Download Pave
- Set a Small Goal
- Take it One Day at a Time
Because quitting vaping isn’t one big decision, it’s a series of small ones.
