Golden Plains Shire Council is committed to the health and wellbeing of the community, and addressing tobacco and e-cigarette harm is a key health and wellbeing priority.
Impacts Tobacco and E-cigarette Use
Tobacco use, also known as 'smoking', includes manufactured cigarettes, roll-your-own products, and other ways of accessing tobacco.
- Tobacco use remains the largest avoidable contributor to disease and death in Australia.
- In Victoria alone, smoking is responsible for approximately 4,400 deaths each year.
- A manufactured cigarette contains a complex mixture of over 7000 chemicals besides nicotine, many of which are chemically active and cause significant damage to the body.
- Even cigarettes marketed as 'smooth' or 'fine' with a weaker taste are not safer than regular cigarettes. There is no evidence they reduce the risk of smoking-caused diseases.
The use of E-cigarettes (widely known as Vaping) involves using small, battery-operated devices which heat a liquid to create a vapour that is inhaled.
- The popularity of e-cigarettes has led to increasing health concerns.
- Most e-cigarettes (vapes) contain nicotine, often at much higher levels than in traditional cigarettes.
- Nicotine is highly addictive and can pose risks to brain development.
- Vape liquids contain a mix of harmful chemicals, including arsenic, lead, volatile organic compounds (found in paint and cleaning products), and ultra-fine particles damaging to the lungs.
- Vape companies often design products to look appealing or fun and use a wide range of sweet flavours to attract young people.
- It's important to know that e-liquid products are not always accurately labelled. There's no guarantee a product is nicotine-free, and they may contain other harmful substances.
Other health effects linked to Smoking and Vaping include:
- A factor in age-related macular degeneration and blindness.
- Significant negative impacts on oral health, including increasing the risk of oral cancer.
Prevention and Seeking Help with Addiction
Quitting smoking and vaping is widely regarded as the best action you can take for your health. Support is available to help people quit smoking and vaping.
- Understanding Addiction: Quitting is a journey that involves more than just nicotine addiction. Breaking smoking habits and learning to identify and avoid triggers are key tips from Quitline specialists.
- Withdrawal: Withdrawal symptoms can be challenging, but thinking of them as signs of your body recovering can help. People who quit successfully often see their past attempts as valuable practice and experience.
- Support Services:
- Information on quitting services and stop smoking medication is available to help people decide the best way for them to quit.
- Resources are available in various languages and can be distributed freely.
- If you are considering quitting, need support, or want to help someone else quit, you can call Quitline on 13 78 48 or visit www.quit.org.au - Motivation: Considering the financial cost of smoking can also be a strong motivator to quit.
Tobacco Legislation and Reform
Victoria has laws in place to control cigarette sales and smoking locations to minimise the health impacts of tobacco on individuals and the community. The Tobacco Act, first introduced in 1987, has been amended numerous times to strengthen controls on both tobacco and e-cigarettes.
- Smoke-Free/Vape-Free Areas: Smoking and vaping are prohibited in all enclosed workplaces and specific public gathering areas.
- Sales and Display: Retailers are legally prohibited from selling tobacco products to anyone under 18. They are also not allowed to display tobacco products or packaging anywhere on their premises.
- Tobacco Crime: Tough new laws have been implemented to address tobacco crime.
- E-cigarette Control: The Tobacco Act includes controls on e-cigarettes.
The ongoing decline in smoking rates in Victoria shows the success of strong anti-smoking laws and policies.
If you are a retailer, workplace or public gathering space:
- Refer to the Department of Health’s Tobacco reforms for up-to-date legislation
- Contact the Golden Plains Shire Council for no smoking and vaping signage
Golden Plains Shire Actions and Resources
Golden Plains Shire Council is actively working to prevent smoking and vaping in our region, with a particular focus on young people. We aim to support people dependent on nicotine to seek help, providing non-judgmental, supportive messages regardless of where they are in their quitting journey.
Other Resources
For more comprehensive information and support:
- Quit Victoria: Quit Victoria offer tools, fact sheets, and support for quitting smoking and vaping. Visit www.quit.org.au or call Quitline on 13 78 48.
- Barwon Health’s Vaping Prevention Resource: Barwon Health has worked with mental health and youth agencies throughout the region to develop a list of resources that young people can access to assist them to cope with some of the possible feelings and reasons they might be vaping. Visit Start a conversation about vaping
- Tobacco in Australia: Facts & Issues: A detailed, evidence-based review of Australian and international research on tobacco use and policy, compiled by the Cancer Council Victoria. It is updated frequently and extensively referenced. This resource is useful for understanding the broader context and evidence base. Visit Tobacco in Australia