A NEW report from the ANU reveals more than two million Australians have used e-cigarettes, with 15.5 per cent of vape users having never never smoked before.

The major government review found use of nicotine e-cigarettes increases the risk of a range of adverse health outcomes, particularly in youth, including taking up smoking, addiction, poisoning, seizures, trauma and burns and lung injury.

It further found early warning signs of adverse effects on cardiovascular health markers, including blood pressure, heart rate and lung functioning.

Lead author of the report, professor Emily Banks from the ANU National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health says vaping is causing addiction in a new generation of users.

“Young non-smokers who vape are around three times as likely to take up smoking than non-vapers,” said Prof Banks.

“Nicotine use in children and adolescents can lead to lifelong addiction issues as well as difficulties in concentration and learning. Vaping is also illegal if it isn’t on prescription.”

The report found more than half (53 per cent) of current e-cigarette use in Australia is by people who also smoke, 31.5 per cent is by past smokers and 15.5 per cent is people who have never smoked.

“The evidence is there for some of the risks but for most major health outcomes, like cancer, cardiovascular disease and mental illness, we don’t know what the impacts of e-cigarettes are. Their safety for these outcomes hasn’t been established,” said Prof Banks.

“Vapes deliver hundreds of chemicals – some of them known to be toxic and many others with unknown effects.

“There are myths targeting young people; the false ideas that vapes wouldn’t be widely available if they were dangerous and ‘it’s just water vapour’.”

Cancer Council’s Public Health Committee Chair, Anita Dessaix, said the ANU report is the most comprehensive study of all the health impacts of e-cigarettes ever published and it sends an urgent message to Australian governments.

“A public health crisis is rapidly unfolding before our eyes,” said Ms Dessiax.

“Every week we’re hearing growing community concern about e-cigarettes in schools, the health harms and the risks of smoking uptake among young people.

“These findings send a clear message to all governments: act now. Do more to protect the community, especially young people, from the harms of e-cigarettes.”