When 14-year-old Sameer* came to the clinic with a persistent cough and headaches, his parents were worried about asthma. He had stopped soccer training because he was becoming breathless more easily. Teachers had also noticed he was tired, distracted and struggling to focus.
After some time, Sameer quietly admitted he had been vaping for nearly a year.
What stood out was not just the vaping itself, but how unnoticed it had been within the family. His parents had migrated to Australia several years earlier. English was not their first language. They had heard general warnings about vaping but assumed it was safer than cigarettes because many young people around them believed that to be true. They did not realise how quickly nicotine dependence can develop in teenagers.
By the time they sought help, stopping had already become difficult.
This story is becoming increasingly familiar across many communities in Australia.
Most parents are not ignoring the issue. Many simply have not received clear, practical information that feels easy to understand or act on.
Not every family receives the same message
Public health communication does not always reach families in the same way.
Australia is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world, yet prevention messages are not always designed in ways that reflect this reality. For many families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, information may exist, but it is not always easy to navigate, trust or apply in daily life.
Some parents rely on social media, friends or information from overseas to understand vaping. Others are unsure whether vaping contains nicotine, whether it is legal for teenagers, or how serious the health risks are.
There are also practical barriers such as work pressures, long waiting times and uncertainty about where to seek help. These can delay early support.
Having lived and trained in both India and Australia, I often see how families interpret health advice through different systems and expectations. Many parents want to act early, but the pathway is not always clear.
These gaps are not just individual challenges. They reflect how prevention information is designed and delivered across a diverse population.
Why teenagers are drawn to vaping
Many parents still think of nicotine addiction through the lens of cigarettes. But vaping has changed the landscape.
Devices are discreet, flavoured and often resemble everyday objects. Many teenagers begin vaping socially without fully understanding what they are inhaling.
In conversations, young people often give similar reasons. Friends were doing it, flavours were appealing, it helped with stress, or it seemed harmless. Few initially realise it contains nicotine.
For many, vaping is less about rebellion and more about fitting in.
Research also shows that young people who use e-cigarettes are more likely to later try tobacco smoking.
This is why early understanding and timely support matter.
Health literacy and access to support
Health literacy means being able to understand health information and know how to act on it.
It plays a major role in prevention.
When families cannot easily access or interpret information, early warning signs may be missed. Young people may continue vaping for longer before seeking support.
In multicultural communities, prevention depends not only on whether information exists, but whether it is accessible and usable in real life.
Quit provides multilingual quitting support, including Hindi, Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese, Greek, Italian, Sinhalese and Tagalog. These resources include practical guidance and lived experiences from different communities.
Quitline (13 78 48) also provides confidential support, and interpreter services can be arranged. However, many families are still unaware that these services exist or that they can be accessed in their own language.
The gap is often not availability. It is awareness and ease of access.
Why this matters
Some people ask whether vaping campaigns are still necessary given the amount of information available online.
Young people are constantly exposed to vaping content through social media and peers. In that environment, clear and trusted health communication still has an important role.
Prevention works best when it is practical, culturally relevant and grounded in real family experiences.
It cannot rest on parents alone. Schools, clinicians, community organisations and policymakers all play a role.
What parents can do
Finding out a child is vaping can be confronting. Many parents feel shocked, angry or guilty.
But the first conversation matters.
Teenagers respond better when they feel heard rather than judged. Staying calm, asking open questions and keeping communication ongoing can make a real difference. A GP can also help guide safe quitting strategies.
Support is available through Quitline (13 78 48), including interpreter access where needed.
Most importantly, families should know they are not alone.
Many teenagers who vape are otherwise healthy young people navigating social pressure and stress in a fast-changing environment.
More than a teenage trend
Vaping is not just a passing trend.
It highlights something deeper. Prevention only works when information and support are genuinely accessible, understood and usable for all families.
When language barriers, system complexity or lack of awareness delay access, health inequities widen.
Every young person, regardless of background, language or postcode, deserves the same chance to understand risks early and get support when needed.
The earlier families are supported and informed, the easier it is for young people to stay away from nicotine dependence.
Name changed for privacy.
A/Prof Dr Habib Bhurawala is a Sydney-based paediatrician. Trained in both India and Australia, he brings a cross-cultural perspective to how families experience and access care. His work focuses on child and adolescent health, prevention, health literacy and improving equitable access to support for culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
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