Overview
Vaping is an emerging and evolving public health issue. Currently, health experts, researchers, and authorities are working to ascertain the long-term health consequences of vaping. The full risks remain unknown. What is known is that the promoted idea that vaping is safer than smoking has led to the proliferation of non-therapeutic vapes which target people who have never smoked, particularly adolescents. ACN supports all measures to ban the importation and sale of non therapeutic vapes. Further, ACN advocates for delivering public education campaigns to address health concerns and misinformation about the safety of vapes.
Key recommendations
ACN recommends:
ACN recognises that preventing vaping uptake, particularly among youth, is crucial to addressing this public health concern, advocating for a multi-faceted approach to prevention including school based programs, public awareness campaigns, and policy measures. Additionally recommending:
- Targeted education for vulnerable populations through preventative health education programs. This would include children and young people to empower them to make informed and safe choices about their health.
- Access to contemporary preventative health strategy resources for all nurses. Further, access to specific vaping and smoking cessation materials and evidence-based addiction behaviour modification interventions.
