The NSW government has launched a new evidence-based app to help more young people quit vaping.
The new Pave app will provide users with helpful tips, motivation, tracking tools, distractions for when cravings hit, as well as activities and information to navigate common barriers to quitting vaping.
It provides a daily check-in feature supporting users to reflect on their progress and a click-to-call function to connect with Quitline counsellors.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park says he’s worried about the impacts vapes will have on the community’s health, and ultimately, the state’s health system, long into the future.
“This is a once-in-a-generation moment to prevent a ticking timebomb in public health,” he says.
“Our efforts against vaping cannot be solely about enforcement – we’ve got to persuade young people to take ownership of their health, as well as clean our streets of illegal products.
“I am encouraged by our efforts to create awareness among young people of the dangers of vaping, as well as to instil in them a desire to say no, or to quit.
“What I’m determined to see as minister is the requisite supports to help them do it.”
Pave was developed by the Cancer Institute NSW and designed together with young people who vape or had recently quit vaping. Their experiences informed the content and user interface of the app.
The app is free and available to download on iOS and Android.
Campaign
In January 2024, the NSW government launched the ‘Every vape is a hit to your health’ behaviour change campaign to reduce the health impact of vaping among 14 to 24 year olds in NSW.
The campaign connects young people to information about vaping and quit support, including telephone support through the Quitline, general practitioners and now digital apps such as Pave.
New research shows the campaign has motivated 24,000 young people in NSW to quit vaping and persuaded a further 15,000 to consider quitting.
Research also shows that 80% of young Aboriginal people who vape felt motivated to try to quit after being exposed to the campaign.
The campaign is now entering a new phase which will highlight the health harms of vaping including nicotine addiction, lung damage, breathlessness, nicotine poisoning and burns from exploding vapes.
Illegal products removed
Between 1 October 2024 and 31 December 2024, over 47,000 vaping products were seized from 300 inspections in NSW.
This is compared to the same period the previous year, when just under 80,000 vaping products were seized from 238 inspections.
“Despite the higher number of inspections, the lower number of products seized is likely the result of the disruption in product availability in the market following the introduction of the Commonwealth vaping laws,” says the state government.
