‘Every Vape is a Hit to your Health’ : evaluation of an anti-vaping campaign in New South Wales, Australia

INTRODUCTION: campaign aimed to address e-cigarette use among 14-24 years in New South Wales, Australia. This evaluation assessed the campaign's media activity, recognition and impact. METHODS: Media activity was measured by the number of impressions delivered. An online evaluation survey of n=1901 people was used to measure campaign recognition, knowledge and attitudes about e-cigarette harms and intentions and behaviours related to e-cigarette use and cessation. RESULTS: The greatest number of impressions was achieved across social media channels, followed by Spotify and digital display advertising. The evaluation survey found that 64% of respondents recognised the campaign. People who recognised the campaign were more likely than non-recognisers to agree that 'vaping is not safe' (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.1, 95% CI 1.5 to 2.8). Among people who use e-cigarettes, campaign recognisers were significantly more likely to be seriously considering quitting compared with non-recognisers (aOR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.5). They were also more likely to have made a quit attempt (aOR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.8). Among those who did not use e-cigarettes, the majority (92%) did not intend to use e-cigarettes in the next 6 months, with no difference observed between campaign recognisers and non-recognisers. CONCLUSIONS: The evaluation showed a positive association between campaign recognition and awareness of the harms of e-cigarettes among all respondents. Campaign recognition was also associated with increased quit intention and quit attempts among those who use e-cigarettes. These findings suggest that the campaign may have motivated e-cigarette cessation intentions and behaviours among young people.