‘Primary school kids are vaping over lunch’ as Australian state takes big step to stop kids from smoking
- Reports that students want to vape, not study
- Annastacia Palaszczuk announces investigation
Annastacia Palaszczuk has sounded the alarm about the number of young people vaping amid concerns that primary school students have picked up the habit.
The premier announced on Sunday that the state government would set up a parliamentary inquiry into the matter to try to understand how many Queenslanders were now vaping.
“I hear accounts of kids in elementary schools smoking e-cigarettes during their lunch hour,” he told reporters on Sunday.
“These young children are vaping in schools and at home, so we need to make sure everyone knows that vaping is not a good health outcome.”
Annastacia Palaszczuk sounded the alarm about the number of young people vaping amid concerns that elementary school students have picked up the habit.
Ms Palaszczuk said the investigation would also consider what is in the vape fluid. It is sometimes believed to contain nicotine, artificial flavors, and even nail polish remover.
Ms Palaszczuk said the investigation would also consider what is in the vape liquid, known colloquially as “e-juice”, which can sometimes contain nicotine, artificial flavors and other potentially harmful chemicals, such as nail polish remover.
The Queensland Parliament’s Health and Environment Committee will be tasked with looking at current measures being taken in schools to discourage vapers.
Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said she had heard concerns from principals that children have become “so addicted” that they can’t concentrate in class because they want to go out and vape.
“That’s very, very concerning, so we need to shed light on what’s inside these e-cigarettes,” he said.
Recent research published by Cancer Council Australia suggested that more than 80 per cent of people in Queensland want the government to act on vaping.
The prevalence of daily smoking in Queensland continues to decline, but research from the Australian National University suggests that people who try vaping are three times more likely to start smoking.
Queensland isn’t the only state facing a vaping boom.
The prime minister announced on Sunday that the state government would set up a parliamentary inquiry.
New South Wales has long required any e-juice containing nicotine to be prescription only, with Prime Minister Dominic Perrottet revealing that he occasionally vapes after giving up cigarettes.
Victoria controls e-cigarettes in the same way that tobacco products are regulated.
Vapes and vape juice cannot be sold in Western Australia, however shops have been known to supply them under the counter, as is the case in other states.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration in October 2021 also made changes to the regulations regarding the importation of vaping products.
