The Kids Research Institute Australia strongly supports the Federal Government’s announcement today to introduce a suite of reforms aimed at banning non-prescription vaping products in Australia.
The Institute has long campaigned for tougher action on vaping – now an epidemic among school students and young people.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler announced the government would commit $737 million in the upcoming Budget to fund measures – including stronger legislation and a public health campaign – aimed at tackling the harm caused by tobacco and vaping products.
Executive Director Professor Jonathan Carapetis said vaping had become a huge public health problem in Australia – particularly for young people who were taking up the habit in droves without understanding the health risks.
“Vaping is deliberately marketed at young people with sweet flavours, pretty packaging and the false promise that it’s less harmful than cigarette smoking,” Professor Carapetis said. “The companies involved do this to get kids hooked on a product that will then make them come back for more.
“It’s a sinister strategy, not unlike the tactics used by tobacco companies in the past, and as a result use has sky-rocketed – particularly among young people who have no idea how this may affect their lungs in years to come.
“Here at The Kids, together with Curtin University, we’ve got perhaps Australia’s leading program of research under Dr Alexander Larcombe looking at what’s in these products.
“Worryingly, we know from that research that many of the products marketed to this age group as ‘nicotine-free’ in fact contain nicotine – making them a gateway to tobacco use – as well as a host of other unlabelled toxic and concerning chemicals.”
Professor Carapetis said the measures proposed by the Federal Government were an important first step to tackling easy access to recreational vaping products, however, he said more would have to be done to counter the enormous fight the industry was likely to put up.
“It’s not a complete solution but it’s an important and very significant first step,” he said. “We need prominent public health messaging as well as limits on both sales and advertising.
“We need health bodies, governments at all levels and philanthropists working together to take a strong line on this – and obviously corporate Australia has a huge responsibility as well.
“This is just the beginning of what’s going to have to be a concerted effort but I do want to congratulate the Government for taking this first step.”
Dr Larcombe – an Associate Professor with Curtin University’s School of Population Health and Head of Respiratory Environmental Health at the Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre (a powerhouse partnership between The Kids Research Institute Australia, Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation and Perth Children’s Hospital) – said the Government’s strong, decisive stance was vital to help ward off a public health disaster.
“Our own research has shown that a significant portion of e-cigarette products available contain nicotine even when they are labelled as nicotine free,” Dr Larcombe said.
“Every one we have looked at contains other chemicals and substances known to cause respiratory issues or lung damage when inhaled.
“The nicotine in e-cigarettes is particularly concerning from the perspective of young people as we know that its use impacts the developing brain, leading to a range of health and developmental issues. Unfortunately, young vapers are also more likely to take up cigarette smoking, which is well known to be exceedingly harmful.”
Dr Larcombe said the proposed restriction of flavours, colours and other ingredients, plus reductions in nicotine volumes and concentrations, would be an important step in tackling youth vaping.
These changes will help restore Australia's place at the forefront of tobacco control.
“The Government’s planned funding towards public health information about smoking and vaping and the Tackling Indigenous Smoking programs are also most welcome, and long overdue.
“While the reforms are a critical step in curbing youth vaping, enforcement of import and sales bans, particularly of disposable vapes favoured by young people, remains an issue.”