Parent's awareness of, and influence on, their 14-17-year-old child's vaping and smoking behaviours; an analysis of 3242 parent-child pairs in Australia.

BACKGROUND: Vaping by young people in Australia is a rapidly emerging public health issue. Evidence shows that parental behaviours and attitudes can play a key role in influencing adolescent behaviours. Considering the health harms of vaping and evidence that it can be a gateway to tobacco smoking for never-smokers, it is important to understand whether parents' smoking and vaping behaviours influence their teenage children's smoking and vaping behaviours. METHODS: Online cross-sectional surveys as part of the Generation Vape study, conducted in Australia in 2021/2022, were used to assess parents' influence on, and awareness of, one of their 14-17-year-old child's vaping and smoking behaviours. Participants were 3242 parents and 3242 14-17-year-old teenage children. RESULTS: The risk of vaping and smoking uptake among 14-17-year-old teenagers was 42% (p = 0.003) and 97% (p < 0.001) higher, respectively, if their parent was an ever-vaper. The risk of vaping and smoking uptake among teenagers was 81% (p < 0.001) and 159% (p < 0.001) higher, respectively, if their parent was an ever-smoker. Parents of teenagers who have not vaped were considerably better at correctly predicting this (97% correct) than parents of teenagers who have vaped (70% correct). Compared to parents, teenagers tended to have less agreement with statements suggesting vaping is unsafe or harmful, and more agreement with statements suggesting vaping is relatively safe. CONCLUSIONS: Parental smoking and vaping behaviours are associated with those of their children. Hence, it is important that both tobacco and vaping control policies and interventions are designed to influence behaviours of all demographics, consistent with the evidence.

Vaping product access and use among 14-17-year-olds in New South Wales: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: We assessed access to vaping products and types of products used and the factors associated with vaping and smoking among young people in the state of New South Wales (NSW), Australia. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a sample of 721 young people aged 14 to 17 years from NSW recruited through online panels. Poisson regression with robust variance was used to estimate relative risks of ever-vaping and ever-smoking. RESULTS: Almost one-third of the sample (32%, n=233) reported being an ever-vaper, of which more than half (54%) had never smoked prior to starting vaping. Ever-vaping was independently associated with age and being Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, and ever-smoking was independently associated with being male. Ever-smokers were seven times more likely to be ever-vapers than those who had never smoked, and ever-vapers were 18 times more likely to be ever-smokers than those who had never vaped. Among ever-vapers who reported which type of device they were using, 86% reported the use of disposable products. "Flavourings and taste" was rated as the most important characteristic of vapes. More than half of ever-vapers reported getting the last vape they used from their friends (55%, n=130). More than half of ever-vapers had used a vape that they knew contained nicotine (53%, n=123). CONCLUSIONS: Vaping was the strongest risk factor for smoking, and vice versa, suggesting there is not a straightforward, unidirectional relationship between vaping and smoking in young people. Young people appear to be readily accessing nicotine vaping products, which are often disposable and flavoured, through both social and commercial channels. IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH: Stronger enforcement of federal and state policies designed to protect young people from vaping products is urgently needed.