The survey, conducted in mid-2023 and also published this week, interviewed 1200 adults from across the state, including smokers, vapers and those who did not smoke or vape.
It was the first time the survey, also conducted annually, had asked about vaping habits.
Cancer Institute NSW CEO Professor Tracey O’Brien said it was great to see that vapers were considering quitting at the same rate as smokers, as both could cause considerable health harms.
She said she was also particularly pleased to see more than 80 per cent of people aware of vapes agreed they were unsafe to use, up for 73 per cent in 2021.
“[It is] a sentiment we hope will continue to grow,” she said.
“There are ongoing efforts in NSW to educate the community about the harms of smoking and vaping and I applaud everyone working to prioritise their health and wellbeing.”
Loading
However, O’Brien said health authorities could not be complacent as vaping rates continued to increase, particularly among young people.
“Like cigarettes, vapes are also full of harmful chemicals that have been known to cause cancer and there is growing evidence that young people who vape are more likely to take up smoking, which can significantly increase their cancer risk,” she said.
“We are very concerned that a new generation of people will become addicted to smoking if vaping use continues to increase in young people, which is why it’s important that people avoid taking up vaping or seek help to quit.”
The Cancer Council NSW’s Generation Vape survey of teenagers aged 14 to 17 suggests a third have tried a vape, half of whom had never previously smoked a cigarette.
Last year, six young people presented to NSW emergency departments with symptoms including seizures, loss of consciousness and vomiting, after using vapes purchased on Snapchat. Department incident logs show state schools have dealt with several cases of students selling vapes.
A report on vaping published by the NSW Advocate for Young People in November found high school students wished nicotine vapes were harder to access, and wanted to receive help to quit without fear of punishment.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said he strongly supported the federal government’s vaping reforms.
“The overwhelming advice from medical experts is for a prescription model in which e-cigarettes can only be obtained for medical purposes,” he said.
“It’s encouraging to see that among young people who vape there is a strong desire to quit.”