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Two-thirds of Australian pediatricians don't know where to refer adolescents for support to quit vaping, new Federation University research has found—highlighting a critical gap in the response to youth vaping.

A survey of 90 pediatricians and pediatric residents across Australia revealed that while respondents overwhelmingly recognize vaping as a major health concern for adolescents, they reported limited knowledge about where to refer patients, along with resource and time constraints, as barriers to providing additional support.

Just one in five pediatricians reported providing vaping cessation support for adolescents, and around one-third reported arranging follow-up care.

The research is published in the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health.

Lead researcher Dr. Naima Nimmi, a Federation Ph.D. candidate, said only one in three pediatricians was aware of referral pathways for vaping cessation support, highlighting a critical gap between recognizing the problem and helping young people address it.

"Recognizing the risks and advising someone to stop are important, but we also need to help them to take the next step," Nimmi said.

"Treatment and referral pathways for cigarette smoking are more established, but for vaping it's not so clear. Pediatricians in particular are struggling because they are uncertain about where to direct young people for help."

The study found 90% of pediatricians recognized vaping as addictive, while almost all respondents viewed vaping among adolescents as a gateway to tobacco and other substance use.

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