‘They are targeted as fun and better for you than smoking’ : Australian parents’ opinions about the normalisation of vaping for children and young people

Introduction: Parents can play an important role in shaping youth vaping attitudes and behaviours, and are important stakeholders in advocating for policy reforms to protect the health of children and young people. Few studies have qualitatively investigated parents’ perceptions of the factors that contribute to the normalisation of vaping for children and young people. This study aimed to understand the range of factors that parents attributed as playing a role in shaping the normalisation of vaping for young people, and the risks that these products pose to the health and wellbeing of young people. Methods: An online qualitative survey was conducted in December 2022 with n  = 455 Australian parents of at least one child aged 11–17 years. Open text questions interpreted for this article investigated parents’ perceptions about whether they thought vapes were normalised for young people; the reasons young people were interested in vaping; and the impact of marketing and novel products on vaping attitudes and behaviours in young people. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Parents were clear that vaping was becoming increasingly normalised for young people. They attributed this to four key factors: (1) Peer influences (particularly through school settings); (2) The increased accessibility and availability of vapes in community settings; (3) The role of marketing and novel product design; and (4) The perception that vapes were a healthier alternative to cigarettes or were not harmful. Discussion and Conclusion: Understanding parents’ views is an important part of developing public health responses to harmful products. Parents were highly aware of, and concerned about, the increased normalisation of vaping for children, and should be engaged by health organisations to support and advocate for policy reform.