An innovative new anti-vaping ad campaign called Don't let vaping in has been launched in South Australia to encourage more young people to quit.
This campaign is different to traditional approaches by incorporating an interactive element designed to engage audiences through social media, targeting young people who vape.
While the latest data shows vaping rates in young people are decreasing, there are still too many caught in the vaping cycle of nicotine addiction.
Data from the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) shows 10.8 per cent of young people aged between 15 and 29 vaped in 2024, down from 15.1 per cent in 2023.
The Don't let vaping in campaign, developed by Quit Tasmania, is a modern, relatable and highly engaging portrayal of vaping addiction, with the personification of a vape as an online nuisance.
The campaign's video advertisements will appear in a range of social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Reddit and YouTube. Further campaign reach will be achieved through audio (Spotify and Listnr) and in outdoor advertising.
To effectively support young people to quit vaping, it is important to engage with them through multiple platforms and communication styles.
For this reason, a component of the campaign has been specifically designed to interact with users aged 16 years and over on the social media platform, TikTok.
When users interact with the videos they view, messages will be sent to them about addiction to vaping, creating a pathway to quitting advice and tools to help them quit.
A dedicated website will also boost the campaign's modern look and feel, designed to engage young people with quick, accessible quit support information and strategies for managing cravings and withdrawal.
The Malinauskas Government has introduced a range of measures and laws targeting vaping and smoking in South Australia including:
- Investing $16 million in a taskforce within Consumer and Business Services (CBS) to tackle the illicit trade.
- Implementing a raft of new smoke and vape free public areas near beach jetties, schools, kids' sporting events and shopping centre entrances.
- Banning the sale of therapeutic vapes to under 18s.
- Becoming the first state in the nation to ban highly addictive nicotine pouches.
- Banning vending machine sales of tobacco products in public areas.
- Delivering new education campaigns in schools to prevent children taking up vapes.
- Rolling out hard-hitting media advertising campaigns targeted specifically at young people about the harms of vaping.
South Australia's response to tobacco and vapes has been rated the best in the country, according to a national scorecard released by the Australian Council on Smoking and Health.
To test the effectiveness of the Don't let vaping in campaign, 400 young South Australians completed online surveys to provide feedback.
Sixty-four per cent of the surveyed cohort reported that the advertisement 'makes me stop and think', 67 per cent said it acts as a strong argument to quit vaping, 70 per cent reported the advertisement makes them feel concerned about their vaping, 69 per cent felt motivated to quit, and 64 per cent believed it could help someone realise they are addicted to vaping.
Quit Tasmania reported the advertisement performed very well, driving awareness and delivering more than 5 million impressions (single views) across social media platforms, and more than 14,000 visits to the quit support website.
The Don't let vaping in campaign will air in South Australia over the next five weeks as part of the South Australian Government's smoking and vaping harms awareness campaign.
People who smoke or vape are also encouraged to visit their GP to discuss how to begin their quitting journey. For additional support, call Quitline on 137 848 to talk to a counsellor, or visit besmokefree.com.au or bevapefree.com.au for more information.
Ad campaign materials can be accessed here.
As put by Chris Picton
Vapes are full of highly addictive nicotine and nasty chemicals and we want our young people to stay away from them.
This new campaign is aimed at grabbing the attention of younger South Australians to highlight just how addictive and dangerous vapes are.
South Australia is leading the way in tackling this important health issue and it's great that our measures are working. We want even more young people to quit vaping – or better yet, never take it up.
The only thing we should be putting in our lungs is air.
As put by Preventive Health SA Chief Executive Marina Bowshall
The 'Don't let vaping in' campaign is expected to transform young people's perception of vaping to make them stop and think about the very real consequences of this addictive and dangerous habit.
The unique interactive component is an innovative way to increase awareness among young South Australians.
Vaping and smoking are highly addictive – we are keen to see the positive impacts of this creative campaign.
