E-cigarettes – commonly called “vapes” – and the companies behind them continue to present challenges to public health in Australia, according to public health experts.

In a new study published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, experts working in tobacco control, including researchers, public health intervention developers, public servants, and health practitioners were interviewed about the challenges and opportunities associated with e-cigarettes in Australia.

Most of the 34 experts interviewed expressed concerns about the appeal and uptake of e-cigarettes among young people, with the potential for this use to lead to tobacco cigarette smoking.