MLHD Partners With Action Group To Combat Youth Vaping

Did you know that one in three students aged between 16 and 24 years have tried e-cigarettes, or vapes as they are otherwise known?

Murrumbidgee Local Health District has partnered with the Vape-Free Action Group to support young people in understanding the health risks of vaping for World No Tobacco Day on Wednesday, May 31.

The Action Group meets every month to develop strategies that can support increased awareness about the risks of vaping to young people.

It includes representatives from schools, Cancer Council NSW, Riverina Police, community organisations such as PCYC and Karralika Programs, as well as young people and parents.

The top priorities for the group are:

• To support workshops at high schools;
• For community and sporting groups to communicate the risks of vaping to young people;
• To capture real-life stories of young people being affected by vaping; and
• To use social media to share health messages with young people and the broader community.

MLHD Health Promotion Officer, Catherine Pratt said the District was committed to developing strategies that educate young people about the risks of vaping.

“So far, we have been able to develop a workshop presentation and an interactive game for high schools and youth organisations so kids can learn more about the health risks attached to vaping,” Ms Pratt said.

“Vapes often contain nicotine even when they claim to be nicotine free and are not a safe alternative to smoking tobacco.

“They can contain the same harmful chemicals found in cleaning products, nail polish remover, weed killer and bug spray.”

The Vape-Free Action Group also provides education to the broader community through social media to provide them with information on what to do if they suspect someone is selling vapes to minors.

The sale of any tobacco or e-cigarette products to minors and the sale of illegal nicotine e-cigarettes can be reported to NSW Health via its website.

Learn more about quitting vaping at Quitline or by calling 13 7848 (13 QUIT).

With marketing strategies tailored towards young people, there is a risk of e-cigarettes re-normalising smoking behaviour.

E-cigarettes are not an approved method to quit smoking in Australia. Find more facts about vaping at www.health.nsw.gov.au/vaping.

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• Health & Wellbeing