1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,600 Speaker 1: Good morning everybody. Welcome to the Daily OS. My name 2 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:05,440 Speaker 1: is Sam Kazlowski, joined by the co founder Zara Sidelight. 3 00:00:05,519 --> 00:00:08,799 Speaker 1: It is the thirteenth of April. Lots to talk about today. 4 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:11,520 Speaker 1: There is lots of news around and today's deep dive 5 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:14,360 Speaker 1: is not going to be about federal politics. Instead, it's 6 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: going to be about vaping and the new research that's 7 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:19,639 Speaker 1: come out in Australia. Zara kick us off with the 8 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 1: headlines of the morning. 9 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 2: A fifteen year old boy has been charged in relation 10 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 2: to the fatal stabbing of a seventeen year old at 11 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 2: the Royal Easter Show in Sydney earlier this week. The 12 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 2: teenage boy was charged with a fray, carrying a knife 13 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:37,880 Speaker 2: in public and being armed with intent, but the suspected 14 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:41,239 Speaker 2: perpetrator so not the boy that has been charged. This 15 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:42,920 Speaker 2: person remains at large. 16 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:48,560 Speaker 1: Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has said thousands of Russian troops 17 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:51,560 Speaker 1: are preparing for a renewed attack on the Donbas region 18 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 1: in eastern Ukraine. This all comes after Russia announced two 19 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:58,000 Speaker 1: weeks ago that it would shift its focus to the 20 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 1: east of Ukraine, including the Bust region and the Portsea 21 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: of Marapol. 22 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:07,399 Speaker 2: Staying on Ukraine news and according to the UN, nearly 23 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:11,200 Speaker 2: two thirds of all Ukrainian children have been displaced since 24 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 2: Russia's invasion of Ukraine began, so that was a mere 25 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 2: six weeks ago. The UN Security Council was told that 26 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 2: of the three point two million children who have remained 27 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 2: in their homes, nearly half maybe at risk of not 28 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 2: having enough food. 29 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 1: And today's good news, Victorians, you will host the Commonwealth 30 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: Games in twenty twenty six. It's expected the Games will 31 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: be held in regional Victoria, not Melbourne, with hubs to 32 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:44,760 Speaker 1: be set up in Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland. The 33 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 1: number of Australians who smoke cigarettes has had in the 34 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: past thirty years. This has held up as a genuine 35 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 1: win for public health campaigners, who have by all accounts, 36 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 1: executed effective health messaging campaigns over the last kind of 37 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 1: twenty years. The growing popularity of e cigarettes, particularly amongst 38 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: young people who vape, puts this significant achievement for Australia 39 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:11,080 Speaker 1: at risk. When new research from the Australian National University 40 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 1: came out last week, we started to focus on exactly 41 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:17,800 Speaker 1: what hundreds of thousands of Australians are breathing in through 42 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 1: their vapes, Zara, What do we know about how many 43 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:23,919 Speaker 1: Australians vape and what do we know about the appeal 44 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 1: of vaping. 45 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 2: The last time we got official data about the prevalence 46 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 2: of e cigarettes and vapes was in twenty twenty. At 47 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:35,959 Speaker 2: that time, so nearly two years ago, the Australian Bureau 48 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 2: of Statistics reported ten percent of Australian adults have tried 49 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 2: a vape, but that the number is actually twenty two 50 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 2: percent for Australians aged eighteen to twenty four. Now, anyone 51 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 2: who is in that age bracket knows that that is 52 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 2: probably a severe underrepresentation of the state of vaping in 53 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 2: our age group, And of course it's worth noting that 54 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 2: that data is old. You know from public health bodies 55 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 2: like the Alcohol and Drug Foundation that rates have really skyrocketed, 56 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 2: especially in the last twelve months. It's also particularly prevalent 57 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 2: in our schools. So according to that same foundation, fourteen 58 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 2: percent of Australian high school students have tried a vape, 59 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 2: with around one in three of these students vaping in 60 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 2: the last month. 61 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 1: And we know that vaping is concerning a lot of 62 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: parents of these high school students, and there's a lot 63 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 1: of information and resources available online just to clarify for 64 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 1: all the listeners. Now, those are what are the laws 65 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 1: around vaping in Australia. 66 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 2: It's a fast moving area of the law. Obviously, as 67 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 2: these things pick up in prevalence and the number of 68 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 2: people who are vaping increases, the law will naturally try 69 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 2: to catch up with that. But since October of last year, 70 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 2: all nicotine vaping products, so that includes nicotine e cigarettes, 71 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 2: nicotine pods and liquid nicotine they can only be purchased 72 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 2: with a doctor's prescriptions, So that knocked out all the 73 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 2: vapes with nicotine in them immediately off the shelves and 74 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 2: they're now behind the counter where you used to see cigarettes. 75 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 2: The advertising and promotion of vaping products is illegal in Australia, 76 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 2: but we do know that companies use socials to specifically 77 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 2: target young Aussies. Seeing an ad for vaping on Facebook 78 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 2: or Instagram is illegal, and the social platforms are trying 79 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:21,720 Speaker 2: to crack down on the new strategies adopted by vaping companies, 80 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:25,600 Speaker 2: but as with anything, they're still getting through. Where the 81 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 2: law hasn't quite caught up is in the actual product 82 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 2: design of vapes. Vapes are still able to be glamorized 83 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:35,719 Speaker 2: to seem cool or fun, primarily through flavors that appeal 84 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 2: to young people. In particular, there have been a number 85 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,679 Speaker 2: of studies which are found that e cigarette flavors which 86 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:43,919 Speaker 2: give off the perception of sweetness, you know, you have 87 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 2: the candy or the fruit flavors, may make buying and 88 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 2: trying e cigarettes more appealing among young people. 89 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:54,600 Speaker 1: So it sounds like a pretty widespread habit in Australian society, 90 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 1: especially amongst young Aussies, and it's not particularly regulated by law. 91 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:02,039 Speaker 1: It's pretty clear that that's the case. But you have 92 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 1: said there that nicotine infused vapes are off the market 93 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 1: unless you have a prescription. So what's the current issue. 94 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 2: Then let's look at the research from A and U 95 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 2: and we posted about this sam. It was actually our 96 00:05:13,279 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 2: most highly engaged with posts that we have ever posted 97 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 2: on the Dahlias. So the people care about vapes and 98 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 2: what this research found was evidence of significant harms from vaping. 99 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 2: A study of the contents of the smoke from a 100 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 2: non nicotine vape found two hundred and forty three unique chemicals, 101 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 2: of which thirty eight were listed poisons, so thirty eight 102 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:39,800 Speaker 2: poisons were in any given vape. Several others were linked 103 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:43,000 Speaker 2: to adverse health outcomes, including for meldehyde, which is a 104 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 2: word I just learned how to pronounce. The review into 105 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 2: vaping found direct evidence that vaping can lead to addiction, poisoning, seizures, 106 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 2: and lung injury. It also found some less direct evidence 107 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 2: that indicated vaping could affect blood pressure and heart rate, 108 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 2: lung function, and adolescent brain developments, so particularly concerning stuff 109 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:07,040 Speaker 2: when you consider the number of school children that are 110 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:10,280 Speaker 2: using vapes. The study said there is still a lack 111 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 2: of evidence though, on how vaping impacts a range of 112 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:19,480 Speaker 2: longer term health conditions, so that longitudinal aspect including cardiovascular disease, cancer, 113 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 2: mental health, child development, reproduction, and sleep. The Cancer Council's 114 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:27,920 Speaker 2: Public Health chair says a public health crisis is rapidly 115 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 2: unfolding before our eyes. Now, if we turn to another study, 116 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:34,760 Speaker 2: this one from Curtin University, that found that vapes contain 117 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:41,400 Speaker 2: toxic chemicals used in disinfectant petroleum paint liquid, nicotine, and eugenol, which, 118 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 2: if you're not familiar, is used to euthanize fish. In 119 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 2: that study, which was published last year. Researchers have a 120 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:52,200 Speaker 2: sample of fifty two flavored vapes and found one hundred 121 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 2: percent of the products were inaccurately labeled and contained chemicals 122 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:58,719 Speaker 2: with known and unknown effects on respiratory health. 123 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,840 Speaker 1: One of the big arguments for vapes is that they 124 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 1: help users quit smoking cigarettes. Did the report and the 125 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 1: latest research comment on that aspect. 126 00:07:09,279 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 2: Well, So far, there's limited evidence that suggests the vaping 127 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 2: helps to quit smoking. What there is evidence of is 128 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:19,560 Speaker 2: that using vaping as a quitting method results in high 129 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:23,600 Speaker 2: nicotine intake. Then other quitting methods might have, like patches 130 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 2: or gum. The study found something quite different. It said 131 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 2: that non smokers who vape are three times more likely 132 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:33,000 Speaker 2: to take up smoking. And the other thing to keep 133 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:35,600 Speaker 2: in mind is that some of the non nicotine disposable 134 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 2: vapes actually do have nicotine. It is worth mentioning here though, 135 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:42,600 Speaker 2: that according to some experts, there is still a place 136 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 2: for e cigarettes as a nicotine replacement therapy for quote, 137 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:50,720 Speaker 2: a small group of highly addicted smokers. However, they need 138 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 2: to get access to this product in the context of 139 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 2: a well designed and supervised smoking cessation program. 140 00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 1: A pretty dire state of affairs. So what now two 141 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 1: from here. 142 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 2: There's an interesting battle between the federal and state governments 143 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 2: as to who's responsible for leading the war on vapes. 144 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 2: A few weeks ago, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, 145 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 2: outgoing Health Minister Greg Hunt wrote to state and territory 146 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 2: health ministers urging them to crack down on the sale 147 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 2: of non nicotine vapes to children, but state health ministers 148 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 2: want the federal government to stop them at the border. 149 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 2: The letter was specifically written about e cigarettes being smoked 150 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:32,319 Speaker 2: on school grounds. The Federal Health Department says they're now 151 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:36,520 Speaker 2: finalizing the National Tobacco Strategy, a draft of which recommends 152 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:39,920 Speaker 2: new restrictions on the marketing, availability and use of all 153 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:44,400 Speaker 2: cigarette components in Australia, regardless of their nicotine content. We'll 154 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:46,440 Speaker 2: have to wait and see what's in that, but it 155 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 2: is certainly something that is front of mine for a 156 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:52,160 Speaker 2: lot of young people and their parents, as vaping increases 157 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:55,319 Speaker 2: in both popularity and at the same time in danger. 158 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 1: A modern but serious public health issue. I think that 159 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:01,080 Speaker 1: quote from the Cancer Can that there is a public 160 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 1: health crisis rapidly unfolding before our eyes. Particularly is alarming 161 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 1: that health bodies around the country are sitting up and 162 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 1: taking notice of something that, from all reports from our 163 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 1: readers in the comment section of that widely shared post, 164 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 1: is everywhere across the country. That's all we've got time 165 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:21,439 Speaker 1: for on today's edition of The Daily Oz. If you 166 00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 1: enjoyed this podcast, we would love you to leave a 167 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 1: review on Apple or give us a rating on Spotify. 168 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 1: It means so much to us as independent podcasters. Until then, 169 00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 1: we'll speak to you tomorrow.