Annastacia Palaszczuk announces inquiry as reports surface of Queensland students vaping in school

Annastacia Palaszczuk has sounded the alarm on the number of young people vaping amid concerns primary school students had taken up the habit. 

The Premier on Sunday announced the state government would establish a parliamentary inquiry into the matter to seek to understand just how many Queenslanders were now vaping.

‘I’m hearing accounts of children in primary schools vaping on their lunch hour,’ she told reporters on Sunday.

‘These young kids are vaping in schools and they’re vaping at home so we’ve got to make sure everyone knows that vaping is not a good health outcome.’

Ms Palaszczuk said the inquiry would also consider what is in the vape fluid. It is sometimes thought to contain nicotine, artificial flavours and even nail polish remover

Ms Palaszczuk said the inquiry would also consider what is in the vape fluid, known colloquially as ‘e-juice’, which can sometimes contain nicotine, artificial flavours and other potentially harmful chemicals — like nail polish remover.

The Queensland Parliament’s Health and Environment Committee will be tasked at looking at current measures being undertaken in schools to discourage vapers.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said she had heard concerns from principals that kids have become ‘so addicted’ they can’t concentrate in class because they wanted to go out and vape.

‘That is very, very concerning, so we do need to shine a light on what is inside these e-cigarettes,’ she said.

Recent research published by Cancer Council Australia suggested more than 80 per cent of people in Queensland want government to act on vaping.

The prevalence of daily smoking in Queensland continues to fall but research from the Australian National University suggests people who try vaping are three times more likely to take up smoking.

Queensland isn’t the only state grappling with the rise of vaping. 

The Premier on Sunday announced the state government would establish a parliamentary inquiry 

New South Wales has long required any e-juice containing nicotine to be prescription-only, with Premier Dominic Perrottet revealing he occasionally vapes after giving up cigarettes.

Victoria controls e-cigarettes in the same way tobacco products are regulated.

Vapes and vape juice can’t be sold in Western Australia, however, stores have been know to supply them under the counter, as is the case in other states.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration in October 2021 also made changes to regulations regarding the importation of vape products.