The number of Victorians who vape has almost doubled since 2018 and young women are leading the take-up.

A Cancer Council Victoria survey estimated more than 308,000 Victorians vaped in 2022, compared to just under 155,000 in 2018-2019.

Almost one in six women aged 18-24 have taken up the habit, up from just under three per cent.

It also found 54 per cent of users were aged 18-30 and almost one in four adult vapers have never smoked traditional cigarettes.

It is illegal to sell e-cigarette products containing nicotine but almost three quarters of users said they purchased the products from bricks and mortar stores.

Cancer Council Victoria chief executive Todd Harper called on all parties to commit to a retail licensing scheme which would help identify and deter businesses who break the law ahead of the November state election.

He also pushed for the federal government to do more to stop illegal e-cigarette imports.

"We know that the e-cigarette availability problem is magnified when it comes to children, many as young as 12 and 13 years old," he said in a statement.

"The trends are worrying, and immediate action must be taken to prevent retailers from doing the wrong thing."

The availability of illegal e-cigarettes could undo decades of efforts to stop people smoking tobacco, according to Quit Director Dr Sarah White.

"At a time when, as a society, we are trying to reduce preventable ill-health, this is a slow-motion train wreck for Victoria," she said.