Is vaping OK?
Australia has had remarkable success in educating people about the dangers associated with smoking, and in recent years we have seen a dramatic decline in the proportion of young people who smoke. However, the introduction of vaping is threatening to undo these gains.
There is limited understanding in young people about the dangers that vaping presents, and often they have ill-informed understandings about vapes, and this misinformation adds to the risk that they are exposed to. They believe that vaping is OK - that it is safe - and that laws (and adults) that restrict their use are about controlling their free will. As a consequence, as teens have done since time immemorial, they rebel against the "just don't do it" message.
So how do we talk to teens about the dangers vaping presents? This Radio National's Life Matters episode provides some interesting information as well as a strategy that parents can use to open dialogue with their teens. Key points that encouraged me to share this episode with you are that many vapes that are advertised as 'nicotine free' actually contain nicotine. (They claimed as many as 60% to 70% of those tested.) Furthermore, vapes use nicotine salts that contain much higher levels of nicotine than cigarettes and are more easily inhaled (without irritation).
The suggestion that they make is that instead of pointing out the risks to health, a much more successful approach may be to appeal to young people's natural suspicion of authority and take the path of highlighting how vapes are "big tobacco's " strategy to use them to increase their profit. Regardless, the College will continue to deal decisively if we learn of any student who provides vapes to other students. If you have any information in relation to this, I would welcome contact from you.
SRC's Counter-cultural activism.
Recognising the insidious harm that homophobic and racist attitudes pose to individuals (and society as a whole), I am so proud of our SRC Executive who has chosen to speak directly to the younger year levels. Their message was simple:
- It's not OK to use racist or homophobic slurs.
- they recognise that the overwhelming majority of the students already know this, and they want to empower them. They did this by
- letting each individual know that they are not the only one thinking that it's not OK ... that they are actually in the majority.
- reminding them that they can confidentially speak to any of the SRC Executive to pass on any concerns, or use the "Report negative behaviour" button in SEQTA to alert teachers.
I see the poor example that our young people are presented with in the broader community and I commend the SRC for having the courage of their convictions to do something in our local community. I urge all of us to show this same sense of civic and social responsibility and do what we can in our own circles of influence.
Rostrum Voice of Youth finals
I was able to get to see Sadie-May Wilson, Srishti Namoa, and Harriet Mendham speak in the North West Regional Finals. All did really well. Sadie-Mae looked the youngest in her cohort, was very courageous in what she shared and will gain so much from the experience. I hope she continues as she is a natural. Srishti was what we would have expected … a performance, succinctly and entertainingly delivered, with great content. Harriet also presented excellent content, well researched and from the heart, and delivered it excellently. I was so proud of all of them.
Stay safe, keep happy and I will keep us in my prayers,
Frank Pisano
