East Gippsland Shire Council has joined VicHealth and more than 40 organisations across Victoria in a $2 million initiative to help young people say no to vaping and raise awareness of its wider impacts.
The Vape-Free Victoria partnership brings together councils, universities, sporting organisations, Quit Victoria, the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, and the Victorian Government to educate 14 to 25-year-olds about the harms of vaping.
As part of this initiative, East Gippsland Shire Council is working alongside other Gippsland councils and the Gippsland Public Health Unit to deliver a behaviour-change campaign tailored to the needs of the region.
A key part of the initiative is the formation of a youth co-design committee. This committee will include young people from across Gippsland to ensure their voices are central to the campaign.
Research shows that about a third of teenagers have tried vaping, and young people who vape are three times more likely to take up smoking. Vapes contain up to 200 toxic chemicals, including formaldehyde, nicotine and heavy metals that are known to cause cancer, lung damage and harm brain development. These harmful substances are often masked by sweet flavourings designed to appeal to young people.
Mayor Cr John White said council was proud to be part of this project.
“The project aims to prevent and reduce vaping harm among young people in Gippsland,” Cr White said.
“We all want our young people to have the best start in their young adult lives and this campaign is designed to not only support them create change around vaping use but also drive the change around vaping use to make our community healthier.”
Michelle Murray, executive manager of Health Promotion Systems at VicHealth, said: “Too many young Victorians have started vaping without knowing the risks – they had no warning. This project gives young people the tools to warn each other about vaping using real, authentic stories.”
Vapes also contribute to environmental pollution. When vapes are discarded, they can release hazardous chemicals into waterways and the environment. In addition, the valuable materials used to make them, such as lithium and aluminium, are often wasted in landfill.
