Queenslanders share concerns about vaping

A Cancer Council survey shows Queenslanders share AMA Queensland’s concerns about vaping, with almost 70 per cent saying they think e-cigarettes are highly addictive, and 80 per cent think they should be banned in pubs, restaurants and on public transport.

AMA President Dr Maria Boulton reluctantly accepted the AMA-ACOSH (Australian Council on Smoking and Health) Dirty Ashtray Award at the AMA National Conference in July for the Queensland Government’s failure to protect children from the dangers of smoking and nicotine.

The dubious award was put on display at Cancer Council Queensland’s health expo at Parliament House on 1 September. MPs shared their experiences. Member for Southport, Rob Molhoek (LNP) said there is a vaping shop just down the road from a key high school in his electorate.

Member for Mirani, Steve Andrew (One Nation), said two children in his electorate had been hospitalised recently because they were poisoned by vaping fluid.

“This is a particularly disappointing result as Queensland previously won the coveted National Tobacco Control Scoreboard Achievement Award for leading the nation in tobacco control measures four years in a row,” Dr Boulton said.

“Despite laws prohibiting the sale of illegal cigarettes to children, Queensland does not enforce the existing regulations, or require tobacco product retailers to be licensed.

“We have written to the Minister for Health and the Attorney-General, calling them to urgently rectify these failures before Queensland children become the next generation of smokers and suffer the associated catastrophic health results.

“Children and non-smokers must be protected not just from exposure to smoke but also to behaviours that normalise smoking.”

Assistant Health Minister Julieanne Gilbert told stakeholders at the Cancer Council Queensland event the Queensland Government is currently reviewing its tobacco and e-cigarette legislation. 

She said submissions received as part of the initial regulatory impact statement are with the Health Minster now. An exposure draft of the bill is currently being considered and the next phase of the process will involve targeted stakeholders.

AMA Queensland looks forward to being invited to join that process.