Tasmania’s Public Health Amendment (Vaping) Bill 2024 was debated in the House of Assembly late last year, and the Legislative Council now has a rare opportunity to act on a nation-leading regulatory response to a dire public health issue.
As health professionals, public health experts, social workers, smoking cessation professionals, and parents of young Tasmanians, we are united in our strong support for this Bill. We all have an interest in protecting the health of Tasmanians and turning our island’s health profile around, empowering our community to be as healthy as it can possibly be.
And we know we’re not alone. Through our engagement with the community, we know there is a widespread desire for change.
Unfortunately, there is more and more evidence of the harm vaping is causing, especially to young Tasmanians.
Vaping has been found to be bad for our health, including associations with respiratory and heart issues, cancer, adverse effects on oral health, and alarmingly, harm to adolescent brain development.
It is crucial the community is sent the message loud and clear that vaping is not harmless.
We must do all we can to reduce tobacco and nicotine use by maintaining tight safeguards on access to vaping products, while ensuring the right evidence-based quitting support is available for those who want to quit smoking.
Young Tasmanians in particular are facing significant challenges because of these products. Recent national research shows young people who have vaped are five times more likely to start smoking, with the youngest at the highest risk (29 times more likely).
Tasmania already has the second highest rate of smoking in the country – higher than the national average for at least the last 20 years – and this has contributed to an annual smoking-related death rate of over 500 Tasmanians.
While this Bill in isolation cannot address the entire problem of smoking and vaping in our community, it is a crucial piece of the puzzle.
Tasmania has been provided $1.4 million over four years to ensure increased evidence-based smoking and vaping cessation support is available for everyone in the community, regardless of their location.
This increased investment includes the extension of Quitline’s operating hours to 8am-8pm Monday to Friday (13 7848 or quittas.org.au), specialised counselling for young people, new youth-appropriate support channels and intensive support for priority population groups.
Tasmanians can also continue to access smoking and vaping cessation support through GPs, community pharmacies and other service providers.
And while this Bill will continue to enable access to vaping products, provided an appropriate prescription has been issued, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (responsible for regulating vaping products) has been crystal clear – vapes are unapproved therapeutic products and are not part of a frontline health response when it comes to smoking cessation.
This Bill will protect Tasmanians from harm while ensuring there continues to be opportunities for those who do vape to get the support they need to quit.
Our organisations are collectively lending strong support to the legislation because of this, and we encourage our members of the Tasmanian Upper House to support it when it comes on for debate in the Legislative Council.
Right now, Tasmania has an opportunity to lead the nation in protecting our kids against this scourge on our society.
Authors:
- Abby Smith – Director Prevention & Quit Tasmania, Cancer Council Tasmania
- Alison Lai – CEO, Cancer Council Tasmania
- Di Underwood – CEO, Home Base
- Joseph O’Malley – Tasmanian Branch President, The Pharmacy Guild of Australia
- Paul Lupo – CEO, St Lukes.