Asthma Foundation CEO calls for ban on disposable vapes amidst health, environment concerns
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Health

Asthma Foundation CEO calls for ban on disposable vapes amidst health, environment concerns

This election year there are growing calls for all parties to introduce policies around vaping. 

The Asthma Foundation's added its voice to that list - as they fear vapes are becoming the cool new device for young people rather than being used as a tool to give up smoking. 

Asthma Foundation's CEO Letitia Harding told Lloyd Burr they are calling on the Government to take a stand in the upcoming election.

"We've got to have tighter restrictions around vape use because we know it's a real epidemic in our youth," Harding said.

With over 1200 specialist vape stores across the country, she is worried the horse has already bolted in regard to the popularity and accessibility of vaping.

"That's not including your generic sellers like the convenience stores and petrol stations so the ease of access is certainly already out there.

"We've got enough concerned parents, school teachers and medical professionals saying this is a huge problem.

"We've been calling for tighter restrictions on this for years…we need to look at ways that we can stop our kids from becoming dependent on these products, so it should be a cause of concern."

Harding is strongly in favour of banning disposable vapes entirely not only for the damage they do as a vaping product but also for the environmental impact they have.

"There is also the environmental side of it as well, these disposable vapes, we should just be banning them.

"Those are the ones that are very popular with our youth, they're the ones that can contain up to 50 milligrams of nicotine (the equivalent of a pack and a half of cigarettes)."

She explained there is more and more literature and published studies coming out on the harm vaping does cause.

"We know that it affects the lungs, it affects their susceptibility to infection, increases asthma exacerbations and we know it affects the cardiovascular system.

"What's missing is those really long-term studies."

Listen to the full interview between Asthma Foundation CEO Letitia Harding and Lloyd Burr above.

You can also download the full interview on the Lloyd Burr Live podcast, and listen on the go. 

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