Gretel Johns from Ballarat has been working as a nurse for more than 20 years, including in the intensive care unit (ICU).
After witnessing the damaging effects of smoking on human health, Ms. Johns urged the Victorian government to help prevent another "disaster" and increase education about vaping in schools.
Electronic cigarettes are devices powered by batteries that heat liquid (sometimes containing nicotine) to produce a vapor that is then inhaled.
Ms. Johns stated, "Chest X-rays and overseas research have confirmed lung injuries from electronic cigarettes. In Australia, there seem to be cases of what we call EVALI (a serious medical condition where the lungs are damaged due to substances found in electronic cigarettes and their products) or electronic cigarette product-related lung injuries.
In 2020, a teenager from Sydney was admitted to the intensive care unit due to doctors suspecting a case of EVALI.
Gretel Johns has worked extensively as a nurse. (provided by Gretel Johns) Despite ongoing research into the safety risks and long-term effects of e-cigarettes, it is clear that the product remains highly popular, with almost one in ten Australians aged 18 and over having tried it at least once.
Ms. Johns stated that raising community awareness can start from schools and extend to parents.
A mother of four children is calling on the state government to introduce targeted educational resources in schools, such as informative lectures, similar to drug and alcohol education.
She said, "Of course, I believe that although the Ministry of Education is often blamed, it is the teachers who are the ones who can interact with children. They have captured a group of viewers among parents.
The government of Victoria has stated that a nationwide approach is required to strengthen regulation of electronic cigarettes and vaping. (Source: Unsplash)
Knowledge is everything. If you have information on any topic, it can help people make the right decisions.
A spokesperson for the Victorian Government stated in a released statement to ABC that they are currently exploring various options to increase community awareness of the potential health impacts of e-cigarettes.
Drive more regulation.
In the state of Victoria, all sales, advertising, and usage of e-cigarette products are regulated in the same manner as tobacco. It is illegal for individuals under the age of 18 to purchase these products.
However, Ms. Johns stated that further regulation of products - including strict labeling of ingredients - is "crucial" because "we don't know what's in most of the products that children are exposed to.
A spokesperson for the state government stated that they have been pushing for strengthened regulations on e-cigarettes nationwide for years and will continue to do so.
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