ACTION ON VAPES

Health Minister Mark Butler has announced sweeping changes in a bid to stamp out vaping among young people.

* The government will spend $234 million on stronger regulations on e-cigarettes and vapes.

* Non-prescription vapes won't be allowed to be imported and will require pharmaceutical-style packaging.

* All single-use vapes will be banned.

* Changes will also include introducing minimum quality standards, such as restricting what flavours and colours are used, as well as the ingredients in vapes.

* The amount of nicotine concentrations in vapes will also be reduced.

* The health minister says a growing number of young people are vaping, with vapers three times more likely to take up smoking.

* One in six 14- to 17-years have vaped, while one-quarter of 18- to 24-year-olds have used the product.

* Smoking rates among under-25s have risen, the only demographic to report an increase.

* The minister says vapes are being targeted towards young people, with children as young as four having consumed them.

* Mr Butler says vapes being sold as therapeutic products had created loopholes for their sale and a black market.