Second-hand smoking and vaping

Second-hand smoking or vaping (also known as passive smoking or vaping) occurs when people near a smoker/vaper breathe in their smoke (also known as aerosol when it comes from vapes).

There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke or aerosol. It is harmful to everyone who breathes it in, from your friends and family to children and pets.

The Fresh Air – You’re Welcome! team has put together some facts, tips and advice to help us all keep the community safe.

Possible harmful effects

Second-hand smoking

Second-hand smoking may increase the risks of:

1. respiratory diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, and pneumonia
2. heart attacks and coronary heart disease
3. type 2 diabetes
4. strokes and dementia caused by plaque build-up in arteries
5. lung cancer
6. eye, nasal and throat irritation, such as coughing or shortness of breath

Smoking during pregnancy is also considered second-hand smoking and can affect your child. You can read more about the second-hand smoking and pregnancy on Make Smoking History website. 

Second-hand vaping

When you vape, it’s not just you who’s exposed to these chemicals. The people around you are too.

Vapes can contain up to 200 dangerous chemicals, such as poisons found in weed killer and paint stripper, that are inhaled deep into the lungs. Many vapes contain chemicals that are known causes of cancer and lung damage.

Almost all vapes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive, and often leave users feeling dependent. A single vape can have about the same amount of nicotine as three packets of cigarettes.

Unless prescribed by a doctor, vapes are unregulated. That means there are no minimum product safety standards or consequences for a manufacturer who doesn’t label their product accurately.

Even if vapes say they don't contain nicotine, laboratory testing has shown that most vapes available in Australia do contain nicotine and also toxic chemicals.

In June 2024 Federal Parliament passed a bill to make it unlawful to sell vapes outside a pharmacy. 

Three tips to protect your community from second-hand smoking or vaping

1. Quit
   If you’re a smoker or a vaper, try to quit. The desire to protect friends, family and pets can be a great motivator to quit. You can learn more about how to quit here.
2. Teach
   Teach people - especially children - about second-hand smoke and vape and its dangers. Advise them to take some distance from smokers and vapers to avoid breathing their smoke.
   
3. Use smoke-free and vape-free space(s)
   Take advantage of our Smoke-Free Town Centres for your social gatherings and meet your friends at smoke-free venues.

More information and support

The City is committed to limiting community exposure to second-hand smoke and vape. You can find further information on Make Smoking History website.

Sources

How Does My Smoking Affect Others? | Make Smoking History

E-cigarettes and vaping (healthywa.wa.gov.au)

E-cigarettes (Vapes)

Did you know that the City of Vincent’s Smoke-Free Town Centres Project also includes vaping? Vapes (or e-cigarettes) are electronic devices that heat a liquid until it aerosolises. The user then inhales the aerosol into the lungs.

Contrary to common beliefs, vapes are not safe.

The City of Vincent is working to raise awareness about the risks of using e-cigarettes and vaping, especially amongst young people.

Eight facts about vapes

1. Most vapes contain nicotine, like cigarettes.
   Nicotine is a highly addictive drug. One vape can contain a similar amount of nicotine as 50 cigarettes.
2. Using vapes can have negative impact on your health.
   Vapes can expose people to nicotine, chemicals and toxins that can be linked to serious lung disease, depression, and anxiety. Less direct evidence indicates adverse effects of vapes on cardiovascular health markers, including blood pressure and heart rate, lung function and adolescent brain development and function.
3. Vapes are often labelled incorrectly.
   Even when they claim not to contain nicotine, they may contain high levels of nicotine.
4. Young people are targeted.
   From fruity flavours to disguising vapes as other every day items (e.g. a highlighter), vapes have been designed to appeal to young people. Research shows that in WA, 13.5 per cent of school students aged 12 to 17 have tried vaping.
5. Selling vapes is illegal in WA.
   It is illegal in WA to sell e-cigarette devices and nicotine products unless they are prescribed by a doctor and obtained with a prescription from a pharmacy.
6. People who use vapes are more likely to start smoking cigarettes.
   Amongst young people, someone who uses a vape is three times as likely to start smoking cigarettes.
7. Using vapes does not necessarily help with quitting smoking.
   There is limited evidence that vapes are an effective aid for quitting smoking. Vaping is more likely to lead to greater long-term exposure to nicotine than quitting.
8. Second-hand vaping can also have risks.
   Vapes emit an aerosol into the air which can expose the person vaping and bystanders to potentially dangerous substances.

What is in a vape?

The liquid in a vape is not water.

When you inhale aerosol from an vape, you can be exposed to potentially harmful substances such as:

• acetone found in nail polish remover.
• acrolein found in weed killer.
• 2-cholorophenol found in cleaning products and bug spray.
• heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury, lead, aluminum. These heavy metals have been linked to causing cancer. 
• nicotine, a highly addictive substance classified as a poison in Australia. Many vapes are incorrectly labelled as nicotine free when they do in fact contain nicotine on top of other chemicals.

More information and support

You can learn more about the health impacts of vaping via these digital advertisements, launched by Cancer Council WA as part of the vaping prevention campaign 'Clear the Air'.

Sources

The-facts-about-vaping-for-parents-and-carers-Do-you-know-what-theyre-vaping.pdf (healthywa.wa.gov.au)

E-cigarettes and vaping (healthywa.wa.gov.au)

E-cigarettes health outcomes review summary brief (anu.edu.au)

How to Quit smoking or vaping

Are you a smoker or vaper and you’re thinking about quitting? Or do you know a smoker or vaper who would like to quit?  

When someone quits smoking or vaping, it will not only benefit their own health, but it will benefit people around them. Benefits could include people not having to breathe in dangerous, second-hand smoke or aerosol from vapes, and reduce concerns around what would happen should the smoker or vaper become ill. 

Impacts of quitting on your health

Quitting impacts your body as soon as you start. We’ve put together important milestones. 

Here are nine facts about how quitting could improve your health: 

1. After 20 minutes - Your resting heart rate would improve.  
2. After 12 hours - The oxygen levels in your blood would start to improve, while the carbon monoxide levels in your body would decrease. 
   
3. After five days - Nicotine would almost have left your body.
4. After one week - You would start feeling your sense of taste and smell become more accurate.
5. After two to 12 weeks - Your body has already recovered enough to lower your risks of heart attack. Your blood circulation would have improved. Your lungs would become more effective, allowing you to find exercise easier.
6. After one to nine months - You would find yourself being less out-of-breath or coughing.
7. After one year - Your risk of a heart attack would decrease by 50 per cent, compared to when you smoked.
8. After five years - Your risk of having a stroke or developing mouth, throat or esophagus cancer would decrease.
9. After 10 years - Your risk of developing lung cancer would decrease by 50 per cent, compared to when you smoked. Your risk of bladder, kidney, and pancreatic cancer would also decrease. 

Five tips to successfully quit (or help someone to quit)

Quitting is a journey. Make sure you are well prepared to start it yourself – or support somebody who is about to quit. 

Here are five tips to successfully quit (or help someone to quit):

1. Find a support system
   It is important that you find supports to encourage and support you and keep you accountable. It can be your friends, family, Quitline via 13 7848, your GP or local pharmacies, online supports or even an app. Do not hesitate to share your journey with people around you.
2. Identify triggers
   List the situations or locations that can trigger your desire to smoke and try to avoid them, especially at the beginning of your process. Think about taking advantage of our Smoke-Free Town Centres.
3. Have coping mechanisms ready
   When the craving is too high, have a list of alternatives to reduce the craving. Alternatives include mints, gum, a stress ball, healthy snacks, etc. 
4. Be kind to yourself - or your friend
   This is a journey. If you slip up, be positive and understanding even through relapses. Quitting can take multiple attempts.
5. Celebrate small wins
   Every day without smoking or vaping is a win. Celebrate each win, such as one day without smoking or attending a social event without vaping. 

How to quit smoking or vaping

Quitting vaping is similar than quitting smoking. You can read more about our advice on our dedicated page.

How to quit smoking or vaping 

You can find all the best tips to quit at Make Smoking History.

Sources

Quitting smoking - health benefits, quit plans, resources | healthdirect 

Quit Toolkit | Make Smoking History