January 23, 2020
Vaping risk not shared equally
Māori public heath advocacy service Hāpai Te Hauora says a new study on vaping highlights the need for more targeting of smoking cessation efforts.
The study of youth smoking between 2014 and 2019 by ASH New Zealand and the University of Auckland shows that while some young people are experimenting with vaping, daily use of an e-cigarette is occurring overwhelmingly in existing smokers.
Hāpai chief executive Selah Hart says the study should allay fears raised by school principals from higher decile schools about a ‘vaping epidemic’ among their students, as it shows it’s those in less affluent communities who are at far greater risk.
Māori and those in less affluent communities are far more likely to smoke and/or vape.
She proposes earlier education about lifestyle choices that can prevent tobacco-related addiction in adolescence and adulthood, supported by proper funding for mass-media campaigns.
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