One in three teenagers have tried vaping and 7.1% vape at least once a month, survey results from a new University of Otago (Christchurch) study show.
Of concern is that four of the survey respondents were aged 12 or younger, but were not included in the results.
Lead researcher and University of Otago (Christchurch) paediatrics assistant research fellow Dr Ben Wamamili said parents attending hospital with children in New Zealand were routinely asked about tobacco use, but information about vaping was lacking.
So an anonymous online survey of teenagers and parents attending Christchurch Hospital’s paediatric outpatient clinic was conducted between December last year and February this year.
It assessed e-cigarette use (vaping), brand preferences and knowledge about vaping among teenagers aged 13-16 and parents aged 17 or older.
Of the participants, 42 were teenagers and 53 were parents.
Dr Wamamili said the study found 33.3% of teenagers had tried vaping and 7.1% were regular vapers.
Most of the teenagers selected "curiosity/just wanted to try them" as their reason for vaping, whereas parents who responded said they vaped to quit or reduce/avoid smoking.
All teenage respondents said they used nicotine-containing e-cigarettes, and the key reasons for choosing particular brands were price and flavours.
Fruit flavours were the most preferred, he said.
The survey also found teenagers did not buy their e-cigarettes from vape shops.
Rather, they bought them online or got them from friends and family, and 7.7% said they made their own vaping liquid.
Dr Wamamili said it was interesting that teenagers obtained e-cigarettes from sources other than vape shops, suggesting present vape shop regulations were unlikely to prevent teenagers from accessing vape products.
The results showed further educative and regulatory input was needed to reduce e-cigarette use in young people.
The study was a pre-cursor to the next leg of the research, which aimed to trial a vaping intervention programme in New Zealand secondary schools.
