Majority of Queensland Residents Support Ban on E-Cigarettes: Survey

New research findings indicate that the majority of residents in Queensland, Australia believe that e-cigarettes can be addictive and should be banned in public places. They also feel that e-cigarette advertising should not be allowed on social media.

Key Points: - In Australia, e-cigarettes containing nicotine can only be purchased with a doctor's prescription. - In practice, it is difficult to determine which products contain harmful and addictive chemicals. - 4 out of 5 people in Queensland believe that the use of e-cigarettes should not be allowed in public transport, bars, restaurants, or other outdoor areas.

When the investigation results were released, the state government received criticism from doctors who jointly awarded Queensland and Victoria the "Dirty Ashtray Award" for this year because the government failed to issue licenses to tobacco retailers and did not crack down on selling e-cigarettes to children.

E-cigarettes are vaporizers that heat e-liquid and allow users to inhale nicotine-infused vapor. Some of these products use brightly colored packaging and fruity flavors to appeal to children and teenagers.

In Australia, e-cigarettes that contain nicotine can only be obtained through a prescription under current laws. However, in practice, it is difficult to determine which products contain harmful and addictive chemicals.

The Queensland Health Department has stated that selling electronic cigarettes to children and adolescents under the age of 18, regardless of whether or not they contain nicotine, is illegal.

A survey conducted by the local Cancer Council in September 2021 on 3,522 Australian adults found that 69% of Queensland residents believe that e-cigarettes can be addictive.

A recent survey has revealed that 80% of people believe that the use of electronic cigarettes should not be allowed in public transportation, bars, restaurants, or other outdoor venues. Additionally, 68% of respondents hope to see a ban on the promotion of e-cigarettes on social and digital media platforms.

Dr. White stated that there is high support for regulation aimed at protecting future generations from addiction. Queensland needs to implement retail licensing plans to assist with enforcing e-cigarette laws. Sarah White, director of smoking cessation programs, stated that the results reflect the community's widespread interest in e-cigarettes.

Dr. White, a tobacco control expert in Victoria with a doctorate in pediatric genetics, has stated that the negative effects of electronic cigarettes on health are still being discovered. She notes that it took us 30-40 years to fully understand all the risks associated with smoking, and we have not had enough time to fully understand the extent of the impacts of electronic cigarettes. However, it is known that there is a likelihood of lung damage from inhaling dust, heavy metals, and chemicals when using electronic cigarettes.

In April 2022, researchers at the Australian National University published a global evidence review on the impact of e-cigarettes. They found that there is "conclusive evidence" that e-cigarettes can cause "poisoning, injury, and burns through inhalation (including seizures), and their use can lead to addiction and... less serious adverse effects, such as throat irritation and nausea.

It also found "strong evidence" to suggest that these devices "attract non-smokers, especially young people, to intake them" and "limited evidence suggests" that electronic cigarettes containing nicotine can help people quit smoking.

Dr. White has called for the implementation of a retail licensing scheme in Queensland to help ensure enforcement of e-cigarette laws. She stated that the Cancer Council wishes to see enforcement at both the state and regional levels to hold retailers accountable for illegal sales of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes to children. It is illegal and we hope to see stronger enforcement efforts. Additionally, we require the federal government to do more to prevent the illegal importation of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes.

Dr. White stated that it is important to better understand that it is illegal to use electronic cigarettes in indoor and outdoor smoke-free areas. She commended Queensland for their effective implementation of smoke-free legislation which provides good protection for smoke-free zones. It is crucial that people recognize that electronic cigarettes should also be protected by smoke-free legislation because they still emit various substances which can be inhaled by others nearby. If you are near someone who is using an electronic cigarette, you are essentially passively inhaling it as well.

Dr. Boulton has called on the Health Minister and Attorney General to urgently address failures in Queensland that could result in children becoming the next generation of smokers and suffering catastrophic health consequences. Children and non-smokers need to be protected from the effects of smoking and also from the normalization of smoking behavior. This is a disappointing outcome as Queensland has previously won the National Tobacco Control Measures Award for four consecutive years.

A spokesperson for the Queensland Department of Health has acknowledged that "more work needs to be done." They stated that this is why the Queensland government recently announced proposed reforms to the state's smoking laws, including taking stronger action to prevent the sale and supply of illicit tobacco, tightening restrictions on licensed venues' cigarette vending machines, expanding smoke-free areas, and introducing an e-cigarette sales license scheme.

A spokesperson has stated that the Queensland Department of Health is collaborating with the Queensland Police Service and the Lung Foundation to produce educational videos regarding the dangers of e-cigarettes.

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