Vape makers target children

with cartoons, colours and fun flavours

As more and more young people turn to vaping, creating a new generation of addicts, more people are calling for stronger restrictions and controls on the products, that appear to be designed to appeal to children with bright colours and fun flavours.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has recommended stronger border controls, pharmaceutical-like packaging with health warnings and stricter regulation of products.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) President Nicole Higgins welcomed the recommendations and urged the Government to go even further.

“Big Tobacco saw the writing on the wall, and they have adapted to profit from a new generation of nicotine users,” she said.

“These are many of the same tobacco companies that targeted young people for decades, and their tactics have not changed. They obfuscate, they fund research that could provide a smokescreen for a few more years, they draw in as many people as possible to give them a captive market. They attempt to mobilise users in the name of freedom-of-choice, while knowing that in pushing an addictive product, they’re robbing those same people of freedom.

While nicotine vaping products are only legal to obtain in Australia with a prescription, many users are obtaining them illegally. Many also have colourful packaging and most are flavoured to increase their appeal to users.

Dr Higgins said she feared young users will find it even more challenging to quit.

“Young people’s brains are still developing, and I’m concerned it will be even harder for them to quit nicotine than adult users,” she said.

“It would be nice to think child and adolescent use of vapes is an unintended side effect of cynical addiction-asmarketing strategies, but when the vapes we’ve seen have cartoon characters and the same tropes as children’s cereal on the packaging, these companies are either targeting children or not taking care to keep children safe.

“This has to stop. Vapes must be sold in plain, unappealing packaging, the contents must match the label and strong import controls must be put in place and enforced.

“There’s no benefit to vaping apart from a brief stop to your cravings, but that’s not news to anyone. If you want to quit, you can, and it’s a lot easier with support from family, friends, and your GP. Your GP is trained in strategies that can help you take back control and support you when it’s tough, without judgement.

“So, if you are ready to take control back from vaping or smoking, your GP is there to help.”

While the RACGP has consistently warned of growing use of nicotine vaping products, new research has shown alarming uptake among children. Recent research by the Australian National University (ANU) and the Cancer Council’s Generation Vape research project indicates Australia may be at risk of losing ground on smoking cessation efforts:

• The ANU research found young nicotine vaping product users are three times more likely to start smoking than nonusers

• The ANU also observed that alongside addiction, young nicotine vaping product users risk poisoning, seizures, loss of consciousness from nicotine overdose, cough and throat irritation, and burns and other injuries from exploding batteries

• In a survey of 14 to 17-year-old children, the Generation Vape research project found 32 per cent reported having used a nicotine vaping product, 54% of whom had never smoked a cigarette

• Only 53 per cent of teens used a vape they knew contained nicotine, yet TGA testing of 314 products has found 264 contained nicotine, suggesting young users may be unknowingly being exposed to addictive chemicals.

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