What's worse Smoking or Vaping?

Vaping or Smoking?

Great questions and more from students…….

The NotEvenOnce seminar draws to a close, its Q&A time. Students are firing questions at me about Vaping. “If you suck on the vape but don’t inhale the vape, do you get the same effects?”  I smile, as I remember a certain President state, he puffed on Marijuana but never inhaled! “Can you do that effectively” I ask, “without inhaling?” We lock eyes for a moment she smiles at me “No not really” I return the smile “Case closed?” she nods her agreement “Nice try” I whisper to her.

Hands raise, I look to the group of young men huddled in the very back row. One seeking to be accepted by his peers, egged on by his mates calls out “Which is more harmful then, cigarettes or vapes?” My gaze encompasses them all “Are you really asking me that question after all we’ve looked at today?” He wriggles, looking unsure, then the real leader beside him speaks up “Yeah, well if you had to choose, which is worse?” I smile “Ok, what harms do you know cigarettes cause?” I ask him. “Cancer” he boldly answers “True” I agree and then ask the class “What else?”

Hands raise, an avalanche of health harms flows forth. Turning back to the boys, my eyes locking with the leader “What harms have you just learnt about Vaping?” Hands shoot up everywhere “EVALI”, “Lung injury”, “Heart issues”, “Mental health issues”, “Heavy metals released” I nod turning back to the boys and ask, “What about the chemicals that have been found in vapes that are known to be carcinogenic?” now they all look stumped “Gentlemen, which harm do you think is worse than another? It’s your lives, your future, your health, you get to choose.” They grin, the leader gives me the nod, smiles, and says, “I get it”. 

Then I see the girl, a little apart from those around her, shyly putting her hand up just enough that I can see her but not too much to be noticed by everyone. I move towards her giving her permission to ask her question. Her voice so quiet I can’t hear her, I kneel near her noticing the tears in her eyes, and she whispers “You know how we see on Facebook how vapes can help with anxiety and you spoke about that today. Well, my friend believes that’s true. She vapes all the time but she’s getting worse, it doesn’t help her. She’s suicidal. How do I get her to stop and get help?”

My heart breaks for this caring soul, “It’s so hard loving someone who faces real issues isn’t it?” she nods “Would it be ok if you and I talk a little more after this? Maybe include the school counsellor if that’s ok?” She smiles wiping her eyes, nods, and the young people around close enough to hear what she said lean in, putting their arm around her shoulder, touching her briefly letting her know they are there too.

The seminar finishes not long afterwards, reminding them that if they need to talk or are struggling with anything who the contacts are at the school, or they chat after the presentation.  The young girl comes and talks with myself and the counsellor, appointments made for follow up.

NotEvenOnce is now back within schools around Australia and the level of engagement has increased dramatically with the harms our young people are facing.  Covid had impact, many are turning to substances as coping strategies.

However, vaping must be the most insidious one.  Targeting young people heavily via social media. Competitions on the best tricks with the vape clouds, taking selfies behind your teachers back in class and on and on. We are loving having conversations in this space, challenging myths around vaping and the feedback has been amazing.  We’ve now spoken to 80242 young people in Australia. It’s vital work, bringing the reality of health harms to young people in a non-judgemental, engaging, and challenging way.  What are their choices going to be? What type of influencer are they going to be in this space amongst their peers?

Please keep NotEvenOnce in your prayers.