A recent survey report in South Australia revealed that two-thirds of the surveyed teenagers admitted to trying e-cigarettes. In response, the state's Minister for Education, Blair Boyer, is calling for national actions to tackle this issue and plans to raise the topic with his federal counterpart, Jason Clare.
This is a serious issue that requires national attention and South Australia will lead in putting it on the national agenda," said Beyer. "As a state government, we are proactive and forward-thinking, working with the federal government to ensure the health and well-being of our young people.
Similarly, Health Minister Chris Picton has stated that e-cigarettes are evidently becoming a growing concern, particularly in schools. "We hope to do everything we can to protect our children and reduce the harm caused by e-cigarettes," he said.
Meanwhile, Nancy Loucas, Coordinator for the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA), recently emphasized that efforts to reduce harm through further restrictions on electronic cigarettes are misguided.
She said, 'Urgent health resources should be directed towards providing Australians with more urgent medical care and elective surgeries, rather than meaningless use of e-cigarettes.' Her comments came after Dr. Kerry Chant, Chief Health Officer of New South Wales recently took action, threatening law-abiding retailers with up to 6 months imprisonment or fines of up to $1,650 for continuing to sell nicotine e-cigarettes.
Australia has some of the strictest regulations on electronic cigarettes, which has prevented many smokers from accessing these products and reducing harm by switching to safer alternatives. In fact, activists from around the world have written a letter on July 20th urging the Australian Department of Health to cease these ongoing attacks on e-cigarettes.
This letter is in response to a warning from the Department of Health inspector in Western Australia, requiring them to cease operations within 14 days.
Australia's mistake
CAPHRA added that Australia is falling further behind in implementing effective Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) policies to reduce local smoking rates. "After 10 years of opposing vaping by the Liberal government, with little change in the number of smokers, we hope the new Labor government will take more progressive approaches to reduce Australia's stubbornly high smoking rates.
Unfortunately, what we have seen in recent months is a worsening witch hunt against e-cigarettes. Frankly, this approach will stifle the desires of Australian smokers who wish to quit because they are not receiving the necessary support or reasonable avenues to switch to less harmful nicotine e-cigarettes, she said.
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