UNSW found e-cigarettes, or vapes, are likely to cause lung cancer and oral cancer, but more long-term research is needed. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
A Cape York primary health provider has pointed to a University of New South Wales (UNSW) study that aired evidence nicotine vapes likely cause oral and lung cancers — and urged peninsula communities to give the habit the flick.
Apunipima Cape York Health Council welcomed the findings and said the research reinforced its long-held concerns about the risks of e-cigarette use, particularly among young people.
While some people have quit smoking using e-cigarettes as a cessation tool, the Australian Department of Health, Disability and Ageing says evidence of effectiveness “remains limited”.
“E-cigarette products are not first-line treatments for smoking cessation and there are many other products available to quit smoking that are known to be safe and effective,” the department states.
Vapes and vaping products, regardless of whether they contain nicotine, can only be sold in a pharmacy for the purpose of helping people quit smoking or manage nicotine dependence, but illegal black-market vapes remain prevalent.
Apunipima chief executive officer Debra Malthouse said the UNSW findings were significant for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
“For too long, vaping has been marketed as a safer alternative to smoking,” she said.
“This study makes it clear that vaping is not harmless and poses serious risks to long-term health.
“These findings reinforce the importance of prevention, early education, and culturally appropriate support to help people quit — or not start at all.
“This research validates what our communities and health workers have been saying. Vapes are not a safe option.
“Our TIS [Tackling Indigenous Smoking] teams are on the ground every day, having conversations, providing support, and empowering people to make informed choices for their health and the health of future generations.”
Research from UNSW and other organisations will be used during conversations with communities.
The researchers say people who vape likely face an increased risk of cancer compared to those who don’t, however, more long-term studies are needed.
Apunipima TIS Program team lead Josh Mene said: “These findings are highly important as they put the spotlight on the dangers of vaping, while also supporting our team’s purpose of communicating evidence‑based information in ways that ensure the next generation is appropriately informed to make healthy lifestyle choices.”
Smokers and vapers can approach their local Apunipima clinic or TIS worker for support to quit.
UNSW cancer researcher Adjunct Professor Bernard Stewart AM said: “Considering all the findings — from clinical monitoring, animal studies and mechanistic data — e-cigarettes are likely to cause lung cancer and oral cancer. We’ll only be able to determine the precise risk once longer-term studies are available.”
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare says 20 per cent of First Nations people smoked tobacco daily in 2022-2023, which marked a dip from 2010, when more than 35 per cent smoked daily.
In 2022-2023, almost 31 per cent of First Nations people had used electronic cigarettes at least once in their life — an increase from 14.6 per cent in 2019 — while 5.1 per cent of First Nations people both smoked and used e‑cigarettes during the timeframe.
