Thirteen percent of young Australians have tried e-cigarettes. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) Pictures
Education and health experts say large tobacco companies are inducing a new generation of young people to follow the road to smoking by promoting e-cigarettes with candy and attractive social media images on the market.
Experts warn that promoting e-cigarettes through cartoon characters and social media network celebrities is "re-regulating" the concept of smoking for young people, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.
It is described as a new fruit wine, not alcohol but a sweet taste of the nicotine.
The electronic cigarette was originally advertised in the market as a "safe"
Electronic cigarettes were initially touted as a more secure alternative to cigarettes, but after the death of an electronic cigarette user and a number of young people in the United States, education workers, parents and health experts feared that the e-cigarette culture would be formed in Australia.
The Cancer Council Australia called on schools and parents to take action, and the association`s chairman, Libby Jardine, warned that 13 per cent of the 12-to-17-year-olds in Australia had tried electronic cigarettes. He said the figure is still on the rise.
She said the tobacco industry is in a "resurgence" phase in Australia and that these products are being marketed as a risk-reducing product.
"E-cigarettes are not a risk-reducing product, and we don`t have enough evidence to show that e-cigarettes are safe or safer than nicotine cigarettes."
"Even for healthy young people, the use of electronic cigarettes can also damage the blood vessel function. The liquid used in the electronic cigarette contains carcinogens and unstable factors"
She also wants to set up a "a hard-line regulation" for boxott`s e-cigarettes.
"The sale, possession or use of e-cigarettes containing nicotine is an offence in all territorial jurisdictions of Australia, except where nicotine has been obtained with the approval of a doctor, under the Poison Management Ordinance..." he said.
The Australian Medical Care Agency (TGA) has never divided e-cigarettes into safe products, nor does it point out that it can help to give up smoking effectively.
"as part of school-wide measures to ensure the health and safety of students, schools should include e-cigarettes."
In Queensland`s Sunshade Beach State High School, the principal, Grant Williams, said the school had taken a "pro-active" to launch a health project aimed at educating students about the dangers of electronic smoke.
Williams means: "We know that some of our students have tried (e-smoke).", "You can buy anything online, and young people can easily access the Internet and send them to their doorstep."
"(E-Eye) is advertised as a bubble gum because the product is sweet and sounds like a sweet drink, but this is not the case."
According to Williams, e-cigarette companies are deliberately targeting students. "It`s morally wrong for companies that make these products to try to sell them through young people."
He also says his parents also need to be educated.
Tommy McCroin, the founder of Byron Bay Cloud Co, denies that all e-cigarette retailers and manufacturers are working with large tobacco companies to "to seduce" the next generation of people to smoke.
"before I developed e-cigarettes, I was addicted to cigarettes," he said. "the day I developed e-cigarettes, I could stop smoking."
Electronic cigarettes are not sold to young people, said Mr. McCrocin. "I and my business partner do this because we used to be those who want to quit smoking. Since the science has proved that nicotine is addictive, we have no interest in the production of things that are addictive."
It is reported that the electronic cigarette maker has not denied many of the consumer`s stimulus to the pursuit of nicotine. But he is also of the view that for e-smokers, regulation of the industry would be more secure. "Regulation is more secure for consumers because they are less likely to mix nicotine themselves, and that is likely to be a problem. The regulation of the tobacco industry and the provision of products for sale, as in the case of identity checks for tobacco products, is a positive move for the development of the tobacco industry and for consumers, which is the most important thing."
