New figures show young people are smoking more

NEW statistics released by the Department of Health and Ageing paint a disturbing picture of increased smoking by young people.

The report found that smoking among children between 14 and 17 years of age has increased dramatically, with these findings now being used to justify harsh crackdowns on vaping across the country. This is a mistake.

The increase in youth smoking rates in Australia stands in stark contrast to other western

Dr Colin countries where youth smoking is declining at an accelerated rate. Why does Australia differ?

The answer lies in our regulatory approach to vaping.

Australia’s draconian policies have normalised a black market selling unregulated disposable

Council

Notice of Special

Budget meeting vaping products and illicit cigarettes freely, away from government oversight and without age verification.

Cairns Regional Council advises that its 2023/24 Budget will be tabled at a Special Meeting on Monday 19 June at 9am.

The meeting will be held in the Council Chambers on Level 3 of the Spence Street Administration Building.

Members of the public are welcome to attend the meeting.

The meeting will also be live streamed on Council’s website.

Scare campaigns and misinformation about vaping encourage young people to take up smoking if vaping is seen as harmful.

Cheap cigarettes are also freely available for children on the black market as a result of Australia’s high tobacco taxes.

The price of legal tobacco in Australia is the highest in the world and is still increasing.

Last chance to register

Our population is growing. How do we balance growth with protecting what makes Cairns special as we head towards 2050?

Council is looking for 350 Cairns residents from all walks of life to form a Towards 2050

Community Panel. Members will share their views, test ideas and explore the issues around urban

Black market sales are thriving.

Without requirements to adhere to basic consumer laws around the sales of adult products, nicotine products are more widely available to children than we’ve seen in decades.

Professor Wayne Hall and I published an assessment of youth vaping, which examined research in other western countries including New Zealand, Canada, the UK and the US.

Every one of these countries has legalised and regulated vaping as an adult-only consumer product. Studies suggest vaping is actually displacing smoking among young people in all of these countries.

Vaping does not cause young people who have never smoked to take up smoking if they would not have otherwise done so.

Young people who experiment with vaping are simply more likely to experiment with other risky behaviours, such as smoking, alcohol and drug use anyway.

Australia is an outlier among

Traffic changes for Ironman

Residents are advised there will be closures and changed road conditions associated with Ironman Cairns on Sunday 18 June: n The Captain Cook Highway will be closed from Veivers Rd, Palm Cove, to Beor St, Craiglie (near Port Douglas), from 5.30am to 5.30pm. n Parts of Williams Esplanade and Cedar Rd, Palm Cove, will be closed from 4am to midday on Sunday. n The Cairns Esplanade will be closed from Aplin St to Upward St, from 7am on Sunday to 6am on Monday.

The southern Esplanade (Lagoon) carpark is currently closed and will reopen at 5pm on Wednesday 21 June.

Access to the Cairns Airport, Cairns beaches, Smithfield, and the northern beaches will remain open at all times on Sunday 18 June, but under changed traffic conditions. When planning travel, ensure you leave plenty of time as traffic delays may occur.

Smithfield Transfer Station will be closed on Sunday 18 June.

More details on Ironman Cairns and traffic and road changes at www.ironman.com/im-cairns western countries when it comes to vaping and is quickly becoming an outlier when it comes to youth smoking as well. If the government doesn’t urgently change its approach, more young people will be unnecessarily exposed to vaping and smoking, and Australia will face a national health crisis in years to come.

Dr Colin Mendelsohn is a member of the Smoking Cessation Guideline Expert Advisory Group that develops the RACGP Australian national smoking cessation guidelines.

Improvement works

Cook St, Portsmith: Asphalt works on the Cook St bridge on Saturday 17 June, from 7am to midday. Temporary lane closures. Toogood Rd, Woree: Stormwater renewal near Park St. Road closures and detours. Page Rd, Edmonton: Asphalt works on Wrights Creek bridge on Thursday 22 June. Road closures and detours.

For a full list of works visit Council’s website.

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Opt in to receive your rates and water usage notices by email and you could win one of four $250 gift cards.

Switch by 31 August 2023. Terms and conditions apply. Visit www.cairns.qld.gov.au/paperless for details.