Approximately 11 percent of adults indicated they smoke either daily or occasionally, as revealed by the 2024 Population Health Survey from NSW Health.

That figure is down from 14 per cent in 2015.

Despite the decline in tobacco use, other forms of smoking remain an issue.

The surge in vaping from 2018 to 2023 has led to roughly one in five individuals aged 16 to 24 adopting the habit, marking the highest rate among all age groups.

Although vaping rates have leveled off recently, experts are concerned about a potential increase in smoking in the future, with research showing that teens who vape are five times more likely to start smoking.

“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to stem the tide of this public health challenge,” NSW health minister Ryan Park said.

“We don’t want to see the years of strong progress in tobacco control and smoking reduction undone.”

NSW chief cancer officer and Cancer Institute chief executive Professor Tracey O’Brien said smoking and vaping were “among the worst things you can do for your health”.

“Smoking is a leading cause of disease and premature death in NSW, and while we’ve seen a positive decrease in tobacco smoking, we cannot become complacent about the harms of smoking and now vaping,” O’Brien said.

Inhaling chemicals and toxins from vapes have been shown to cause cancer, heart disease and lung damage.

Regular use of nicotine vapes in young people can also cause changes to brain development and increase symptoms of depression and anxiety.

In an attempt to stamp out vaping, the Minns government has undertaken education campaigns and collaborated with authorities to crack down on the supply and availability of the product.

The Pave app was also launched to provide users with tools and tips to help their quit journey.

More than 27,000 calls were made to Quitline in the last year, including 5000 calls related to vaping and 15,000 referencing smoking, Cancer Institute NSW data shows.