Health Minister Mark Butler says 50 youngsters beneath the age of 4 in Victoria alone have ingested nicotine from vapes within the final yr.
He mentioned vaping is now the most important behavioural challenge in main faculties throughout the nation as he seems to be for strategy to crackdown on the multimillion-dollar business.
Health ministers throughout the nation are contemplating better import and enforcement controls after using vapes, or electronic-cigarettes, exploded in recent times with the market left largely unregulated.
Despite modifications to guidelines final yr that made nicotine vapes solely accessible with a prescription, a black market has emerged – which has primarily focused youngsters.
Mr Butler mentioned merchandise with “pink unicorns on them, bubblegum flavour and such” have been inflicting “very real harm to our children” and threatened to undo all of the onerous work to section out smoking charges.
“The Victorian poisons hotline has reported that in the last 12 months, more than 50 children under the age of four have had to be reported to the hotline because of the dangerous ingestion of nicotine,” he advised ABC Radio.
“Four. This is now the biggest behavioural issue in primary schools.
“This is an industry shamelessly marketing, not just to teenagers but to young children. When you look at these things, pink unicorns and bubblegum flavours aren’t marketed to adults.
“This is an industry that is trying to create a new generation of nicotine addicts so they get around all of the hard work our country and other countries have done over recent decades to stamp out smoking.”
He additionally cited an instance of a “very young” youngster who had been discovered with an “insidious” vape in her pencil case made to seem like a highlighter.
Earlier this month, an 11-month-old child was made to suck on and inhale a vape in a video posted on-line.
In the video, the younger boy from NSW will be seen struggling for air whereas propped on his teenage mom’s lap, as these round him snigger and say “it’s okay bubba”.
An earlier clip shared on-line featured a lady asking the newborn “want to try it?”, earlier than sticking the vape in his mouth.
Days later, movies emerged on-line of an toddler woman from South Australia vaping alongside a relative.
In the primary video, the newborn blew smoke on the digicam; whereas within the second she is handed the vape, inhales and exhales.
Mr Butler mentioned “all options were on the table” on the subject of cracking down on the business, together with better import controls and management over gross sales.
One thought he received’t be contemplating, nevertheless, is that of “normalisation” floated by the Nationals get together.
Leader David Littleproud earlier this week mentioned retailers must be allowed to promote nicotine vaping merchandise, however that gross sales restricted to folks 18 and over.
He additionally mentioned engaging packaging marketed at youngsters must be banned.
“We have to get ahead of this because children are the ones that are the victims of this,” Mr Littleproud mentioned on Tuesday.
Mr Butler rubbished Mr Littleproud’s proposal.
“We can’t just say oh, well, it’s all too hard, let’s just normalise it because we know why these products exist,” he mentioned.
“These products are pushed so hard by the tobacco industry is because they want to create a pathway back to cigarettes.”
Mr Butler pointed at analysis that reveals those that vape are 3 times as more likely to take up cigarettes.
Originally printed as Crackdown on vapes after state data 50 youngsters beneath 4 ingesting nicotine
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
