At the recent NSW CWA state conference in Bathurst, the Berry branch put up a motion regarding the use of e-cigarettes, or vapes, as they have become known.
Berry members, Debra Ellison and Margaret Jay presented the support speech for the motion.
The feeling at Conference was the need for a more over-arching motion outlining our concerns and following is the motion that was passed at Conference “That the policy of the CWA of NSW be to support the Federal government’s ban on the importation of non-pharmaceutical vaping products, and the implementation of further health education and awareness programs on the dangers of vaping across NSW schools.”
Members at Berry have been very concerned about the uptake of vaping, particularly in young people. I think this comes from our concern for our grandchildren.
Tobacco smoking in young people is now the lowest it has been in decades and members feel that vaping is the new way of addicting young people to nicotine.
Vapes, containing unknown amounts of nicotine, are produced in bright colours and employ a variety of measures to entice young people to take up vaping, and eventually smoking.
The original motion, written almost a year ago, called on the NSW government to introduce an education program in schools. This has since been done. The federal government has also introduced measures to control the use and sale of vapes.
