Clouded Judgement: Is Australia Losing the Fight Against Youth Vaping?

Titled “Clouded Judgement”, the news article will investigate whether policy efforts are falling short, explore how social media and black market supply chains fuel the trend and consider the broader implications for public health and education. The targeted news publication is ABC News.

Purpose and Relevance:

Vaping among Australian youth has been searched in recent years despite legislative crackdowns and growing public awareness. With the tension between harm reduction force adults and rising teen dependency, flavour disposable vapes still being easily accessible, and schools overwhelmed, this issue has become a flashpoint for parents, educators, and policymakers alike. This commentary will offer a critical lens on recent government responses like Cancer Council research and Australian Christian College unpack the cultural and economic dynamics behind the youth vaping boom and ask: are we tackling the symptoms while ignoring the system?

Target Audience:

This commentary about vaping among Australian youth will be targeted towards:

• Policymakers and educators
• The general public’s concern with youth health and education
• Young adults and parents
• Readers of current affairs platforms.

Key Themes Covered:

The commentary will include themes like:

• The failure of current regulations to curb illegal vape sales
• The tension between harm reduction for adults and rising teen dependency
• The influence of TikTok and other social media websites on vaping culture
• Insights and interviews from health professionals, from affected teens or parents
• Possible solutions: education, regulation, reinforcement gaps, and social media strategies.

Why this piece Matters:

As Australia positions itself as a public health leader on smoking, youth vaping, on the other hand, threatens to undermine decades of anti-nicotine advocacy. This commentary will not only inform but also push for accountability and creative policy thinking. This news commentary aims to introduce a feature article that delves deeper into the vaping epidemic among Australian Youth, focusing on how loopholes in regulations, vigorous marketing, and the influence of social media encouraged the youth to surrender to nicotine addiction, taking control of the future of the country. It’s not just about vapes it’s about how we protect young people in an evolving digital and health landscape.

 

Figure 1: More than 3.5 million Australians aged 14 and older smoke or vape.
Source: ABC News

 

Call to Action:

Through this news commentary, I’m seeking consideration for publishing this article on your platform. I believe it will engage readers’ park conversation and contribute to a much-needed national dialogue.

 

References:

Borys, S. (2023, June 2). Over 3.5 million Australians aged 14 or over vape or smoke, new data has revealed. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-02/smoking-vaping-on-the-rise-in-young-australians/102425832

Cancer Council. (2024). Aussie teens who have vaped are five times more likely to then try smoking. https://www.cancer.org.au/media-releases/2024/aussie-teens-who-have-vaped-five-times-more-likely-to-then-try-smoking

Freeman, B. (2023). Vaping and behavior in schools: what does the research tell us? The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/vaping-and-behaviour-in-schools-what-does-the-research-tell-us-204794