A new campaign targeting children and young people aims to raise awareness of unnecessary vape use. Vapes are intended to help adults aiming to quit smoking but should not be used by anyone else. While vapes are significantly less harmful than tobacco, long-term effects are currently unknown. There are also short-term issues which the campaign will highlight.
Classroom presentations, an animation for social media, leaflets and posters will focus on making sure young people and their parents or guardians know the facts. Specially-developed local website Diary of a Chimney Kid also has a vaping section.
The aim is to prevent children and young people from taking up vaping – statistics show regular vaping increases with age, with nine per cent of 15-year-olds and 18.6 per cent of 17-year-old saying they are regular vapers.
Cllr Linda Chambers, Portfolio Holder for Public Health, said: “Vaping is a useful tool for adults who want to stop smoking. We know it is much less harmful than cigarettes and helps many people to give up tobacco.
“But that doesn’t mean it is without its own risks, or that it is something children and young people should use. Short term issues from vaping can include coughing, headaches, dizziness and sore throats. We don’t truly know what the long-terms effects of vaping are, as they are simply too new for that kind of research to have been undertaken.
“I’d urge parents of young people to speak to them about vaping, whether they are doing it or not. Help them understand why people who do not smoke shouldn’t be vaping either; conversations will be happening in the classroom, you can pick up a leaflet from council buildings including Family Hubs and libraries, and the Talk To Frank website has some good information”.
For more information, collect a leaflet from Family Hubs (formerly children’s centres, libraries, museums, council customer service centres and community centres. You can also check out the council’s social media including Twitter and Facebook, or visit chimneykid.co.uk.
For free support to quit smoking, search SmokeFree Hull or call: 01482 977 617.
