Since October, it has been illegal for Australian retailers to sell electronic cigarette products without a doctor's prescription. State law enforcement officials have been conducting surprise inspections of convenience stores, gas stations, and tobacco shops, using undercover teenagers to try to purchase these products.
Vicky Sheppeard from the Public Health Division of the Southeast Sydney Local Health District in New South Wales has reported an increase in the number of high school students using e-cigarettes, leading to random checks. She states that this figure has significantly increased in 2021. "We are talking to principals who are very aware and concerned about more and more young people using e-cigarettes. Unfortunately, we have learned that although usage does increase with age, it is not limited to younger students, and we have also received reports of primary school students using e-cigarettes," added Sheppeard.
Similarly, Sarah Mitchell, the Minister for Education in New South Wales, announced a series of measures to address the issue of vaping in schools. "It's a problem. I mean, obviously we're seeing more e-cigarettes amongst young people; e-cigarettes in schools are becoming a growing concern," she said. "Schools are smoke-free environments and tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, are banned on school grounds.
Mitchell added that the Department of Education is currently in discussions with the New South Wales Department of Health to find a "whole of government approach" to addressing the issue. "I do believe that there needs to be a whole of government - in fact, a whole of community approach - to educating our children about the dangers of vaping, as well as potential legal ramifications," he said.
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