Following the release of the ‘Do you know what you’re vaping?’ campaign from NSW Health, the Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) Prevention Education and Research Unit (PERU) and the Centre for Population Health have launched the Youth Voices Vaping poster competition.
Students are invited to submit a poster targeting high school students that address one of three topic areas: The health impacts of vapes; vapes and the effects on the environment; and marketing tricks use by tobacco/vaping industries.
There are eight monetary prizes up for grabs with $200 for the first prize winner and $100, $50 and $20 gift vouchers for subsequent winners. Each participant will also receive a certificate acknowledging their participation.
In 2020-2021, more than one in 10 NSW residents aged 16 to 24 years vaped. That rate has more than doubled relative to 2019-2020.
NSW Health Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant says that while tobacco smoking is on the decline, the growing prevalence of e-cigarette use, or vaping, by young people is of “extreme concern”.
“This is worrying trend for our young people because vapes can contain many harmful chemicals and toxins, even if they are nicotine free,” Dr Chant said.
“We know vapes can harm your health in the short-term, but the long-term effects are largely unknown.”
Ngaio Chandler, youth health worker from the Western Area Adolescent Team, has received multiple requests for information on vaping from local high schools due to an increase in students who vape.
For details and to enter, visit wslhd.health.nsw.gov.au
Students invited to design poster to highlight vaping risk
HIGH school students are being invited to create posters to highlight the effects vaping has on health, on the environment and advertising tricks used to target young people to vape, with the chance of winning gift vouchers up to $200.