Concerns on young people vaping on Ballarat school buses

The Courier has seen multiple social media posts about the pervading issue, understood to be widespread across school cohorts in students travelling to and from schools.

This comes as toxic-heavy metals, carcinogens and nicotine have been found in vape products widely available in Australia, a report released on Monday showed.

All 17 e-liquid samples put under test in a Queensland health study contained toxic-heavy metals including arsenic, lead, mercury, nickel, chromium, antimony, aluminium, iron and nickel, along with known carcinogens like formaldehyde.

In early May, the federal government announced it would ban all vape products except those prescribed by health professionals.

Ballarat secondary teachers have reported a "dramatic increase" in the number of students vaping and buying or selling vapes at school this year - and issues are noticeably rising off school grounds.

University of Sydney associate professor in public health Becky Freeman told The Courier there was not much definitive evidence on the impacts of passive inhalation from vaping.

Fellow public health expert Professor Simon Chapman has been concerned vaping is no different to the popularised marketing of cigarettes in the past but, writing in The Conversation, said if cigarettes were invented tomorrow then knowing what we know now "no government in the world would permit their sale". But the do for vaping.

Associate Professor Freeman said young people "would never dream" of lighting up a cigarette in an indoor shared space, such as a bus, but vaping was easier to be discreet and taking a puff was more socially acceptable than with cigarettes.

Associate Professor Freeman said small vaping devices also made it easier for students to vape without attracting much attention.

"With cigarette smoking it's a lot harder to be discreet and it smells," Associate Professor Freeman said. "A young person could take one little hit [from a vape] and it usually smells fruity, so it's easier to do."

Children can face significant fines for vaping on public transport, including school buses, bus stops and train stations.

A Victorian transport department spokesperson made clear vaping, like smoking, was prohibited under the state's Tobacco Act in all enclosed workplaces and certain public spaces.

"It is an offence to be vaping or smoking cigarettes on any form of public transport whether you are an adult or a schoolchild," the spokesperson said. "We would encourage anyone witnessing vaping involving schoolchildren to notify the relevant schools to ensure the issue can be dealt with appropriately."

The Courier understands bus drivers are not able or expected to issue fines but can report schoolchildren to their school, or authorised officers, for vaping offences on a school bus.

IN OTHER NEWS

Department of Transport and Planning works closely with stakeholders in developing strategies to improve passenger behaviour on the network. This includes education campaigns on travel etiquette and acceptable behaviour.

Tobacco tax is set to increase five per cent a year in the next three years in the federal government's move to crack down on smoking and enforce tougher regulations on vaping, including importation and packaging. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler also pointed to vape products targeting young people "alongside lollies and chocolate bars".

Associate Professor Freeman's Generation Vape study found almost all teenagers prefer vaping liquids containing nicotine.

Ballarat Community Health health promotions manager Louise Feery flagged to The Courier early last year there had been a significant rise in parents and from schools wanting to know more about the health effects of vaping.

"Some people mistakenly believe the cloud from vaping is a vapour, like steam. It is really an aerosol, a fine spray of chemicals that enter the body via the lungs and small particles that can lodge in the lungs," Ms Feery said. "We need more education for parents, teachers and young people on the impact of vaping on young people's health."

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