Tag: youth

  • Thailand: Home Vaping is Domestic Violence

    Thailand: Home Vaping is Domestic Violence

    Image: Zerophoto

    Exposure to secondhand vapor from vaping at home could be considered a violation of Thailand’s child protection laws, according to child health and rights experts who are calling for more awareness of the dangers of vaping around children, reports The Pattaya Mail.

    Under national laws, vaping around children could be considered “domestic violence,” according to Thai authorities. They are calling for stricter enforcement.

    The Royal College of Pediatricians of Thailand wants stronger government measures to restrict the import and sale of e-cigarettes and increase educational campaigns about the risks of nicotine.

  • Western Australia: New School Vaping Policies

    Western Australia: New School Vaping Policies

    Image: steheap

    The government of Western Australia (WA) has introduced new school behavior policies to prevent students from vaping.

    Students caught vaping will risk being unable to attend school events, such as balls, graduations and other extra-curricular activities. The new rules also include mandatory programs for students in years five to seven that teach them about the dangers of vaping; new teaching and learning resources for prevention education for students in years eight to 10; and a trial of vape detectors in up to 10 schools across the state.

    “The prevalence of vapes in our community is a serious issue,” said Tony Buti, WA’s education minister. “The biggest misunderstanding is they are harmless compared to cigarettes—this is not true—vapes are not safe, and they are contributing to a new generation of nicotine dependency.”

    It’s illegal in WA to sell e-cigarettes and nicotine vaping products to anyone without a doctor’s prescription. These devices are only allowed for smoking cessation purposes and must be obtained from a pharmacy.

    Youth often purchase vapes online, from retail stores or from friends and contacts, according to the WA Department of Education. More than 70 percent of participants in an October survey of over 3,000 individuals aged 12 to 18 found it easy for a young person to “get a vape,” and many respondents stated that the products are prolific, especially in schools. The survey was used in a report on vaping by Jacqueline McGowan-Jones, WA commissioner for children and young people.

  • Cyprus Minors Have Access to Nicotine-Free Cigs

    Cyprus Minors Have Access to Nicotine-Free Cigs

    Image: Vlad | Adobe Stock

    Minors in Cyprus have access to nicotine-free cigarettes due to ambiguity in the 2017 tobacco control legislation, reports In-Cyprus.

    Nicotine-free products are easily accessible, on kiosk stalls next to cash registers and separate from other tobacco products as well as in cafes. The products have attractive packaging and are available in a variety of fruit flavors.

    Over a year ago, the Cyprus Addiction Prevention Authority wrote to the Legal Service requesting an opinion on the nicotine-free tobacco products but did not receive a reply.

    According to the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs, 16-year-old students in Cyprus reduced conventional cigarette use and switched to new tobacco products like hookah and e-cigarettes in 2019. Daily use of e-cigarettes by students in Cyprus is 4.6 percent compared to the average of 3.1 percent.