1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,040 Speaker 1: A bit of change of pace for a couple of minutes, 2 00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:04,680 Speaker 1: and we know the Northern Territory Council of Government Schools 3 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 1: organization known as nt cogso they've applauded the Northern Territory 4 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 1: government's launch of the do you Know What Your Vaping? Campaign? 5 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: We heard a little bit more about this yesterday. It's 6 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:19,640 Speaker 1: obviously targeted at thirteen to seventeen year olds and it's 7 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: been made available in schools and online. Now joining us 8 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:25,759 Speaker 1: on the show to talk a little more about this 9 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:29,840 Speaker 1: from nt Cogso is Tabby Fudge. Good morning to your Tabby. 10 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 2: Good morning Katie, and good morning to your listeners. 11 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:36,360 Speaker 1: Now, Tabby, why is this a good move from your 12 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 1: perspective when it comes to educating our students about vaping. 13 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 2: We were absolutely thrilled when we saw that the NT 14 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:48,560 Speaker 2: government had launched the do you Know Your Vaping campaign? 15 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 2: Do you know What's your Vaping campaign? It's something that 16 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 2: we've been advocating for the best part of a year. 17 00:00:55,280 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 2: We've recognized that there's been a significant uptick in the 18 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 2: taking up of vaping or e smoking, which is probably 19 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 2: a more correct terminology, because make monown mistake, this is smoking. 20 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 2: This is nicotine. This is a bunch of other harmful 21 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 2: chemicals that you're inhaling into your body and lungs. We've 22 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:17,839 Speaker 2: been working on this for, as I said, the best 23 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:21,640 Speaker 2: part of a year. This is a really significant step 24 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 2: forward in educating our youth and the broader community, their 25 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 2: families as well about the dangers of electronics smoking and 26 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:34,399 Speaker 2: e cigarettes. In October twenty twenty two, we had our 27 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 2: full Council meeting where it was unanimously passed as emotion 28 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 2: that we advocate really strongly for the NT government to 29 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 2: provide that information to families and the community. With that, 30 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:53,400 Speaker 2: with the knowledge of the hazards associated with electronic smoking 31 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 2: and e cigarettes, which we commonly know is vaping. 32 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 1: And tabby we who yesterday we'd actually spoken to the 33 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 1: principle of Darwin Middle School yesterday about some of the 34 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 1: measures that they've taken up to really try to combat 35 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:11,280 Speaker 1: the issue of vaping within their school. But we also 36 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 1: then ended up getting quite a few messages from different 37 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 1: parents saying, Katie, you know, it's an issue at the 38 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 1: school in which my children go to. They're scared to 39 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 1: go into the toilets at lunchtime because there's people vaping 40 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 1: in those toilets. How big a concern is this across 41 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 1: schools around the territory. 42 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 2: It's huge, quite frankly, Katie, it's a really really big problem. 43 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 2: And it's not just in our middle schools. We are 44 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 2: also seeing it in our primary schools. I have reports 45 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 2: of children as young as grade three vaping on school buses. 46 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 2: This is a massive, massive problem, and it's essentially come 47 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:54,960 Speaker 2: about due to the misinformation out there in the community 48 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 2: because it's been heavily marketed as a healthy alternative to 49 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:06,080 Speaker 2: you traditional tobacco smoking cigarettes, and it's far far from that. 50 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:10,640 Speaker 2: It's in a lot of situations, it can actually be worse, 51 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:14,360 Speaker 2: much much worse because it is unregulated, so we don't 52 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 2: know how much nicotine is in these products. We've seen 53 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:24,200 Speaker 2: you know, lab tests Challas that vapes can hold as 54 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 2: much as nine packets of cigarettes worth as nicotine in 55 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:33,239 Speaker 2: one single vape. Because it is an unregulated market at 56 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 2: this point, so you know, it's really really dangerous and 57 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 2: as we all know, nicotine is one. 58 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 1: Of the most well yeah, it's so harmful and. 59 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:48,920 Speaker 2: It is and it's incredibly addictive, you know, and this 60 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 2: is what we're saying, you know, I'm hearing reports of 61 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 2: you know, sometimes children vaping in classrooms. And the thing is, 62 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 2: because it doesn't smell like your traditional cigarette, nobody is 63 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 2: aware of it. You know, like it can smell like 64 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 2: a you know, a squirt of deodorant or some bubblegum 65 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 2: or whatever, and so you know, it's not like you're 66 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 2: seeing that you know, that cloud of blue smoke and 67 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 2: then that you know that nick that tobacco smell. It's 68 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:20,839 Speaker 2: something that's really really hard to detect, and that's something 69 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 2: that's slipping under the radar. And also the things too, 70 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 2: you know, like there are other people breathing in that 71 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 2: secondary vape smoke or vapor or whatever you want to 72 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 2: call it as well, so you know there's there's dangers 73 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 2: for people around the smokers as well and tabby. You know. 74 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:42,560 Speaker 1: The thing is, if you're talking about adults making an 75 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 1: educated decision about whether they choose to vapor, whether they 76 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 1: choose to smoke, in my opinion, that's you know, it's 77 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 1: very different to what it is when you're talking about 78 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 1: young children and kids that are under the age of eighteen, 79 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,599 Speaker 1: particularly like you've just touched on. You know, you're hearing 80 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 1: reports that kids as young as grade three have been 81 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:04,920 Speaker 1: vaping at schools in the territory. That is unbelievable. 82 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 2: Oh, it's shocking. I was absolutely shocked when I was 83 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 2: told that, you know, and it's on school buses too, 84 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:16,599 Speaker 2: you know, like it's it's it's a really really big issue. 85 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 2: You know, we're you know, we're seeing you know that 86 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:24,359 Speaker 2: those younger age groups are taking up smoking like never before. 87 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 2: You know, we did so well, you know, decades ago 88 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:31,600 Speaker 2: with the anti figurette and anti tobacco you know, marketing, 89 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 2: you know, awareness campaigns out there. But what's been missing 90 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:43,600 Speaker 2: here there's just been this this this absence of knowledge 91 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:46,680 Speaker 2: in our public health space. And you know, and that's 92 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:49,680 Speaker 2: the big thing. You know, people are believing the marketing 93 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 2: that they're seeing on TikTok or on social media or 94 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 2: put out by big tobacco. And that's that's who is 95 00:05:56,320 --> 00:06:00,279 Speaker 2: driving the information out there. And now you know, that's 96 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:04,800 Speaker 2: why we're so we welcome this information campaign coming out 97 00:06:04,839 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 2: of the Northern Territory government. You know, it's just it's 98 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 2: overdue and it's but it couldn't come at a better time. 99 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:14,800 Speaker 2: You know, we're seeing so much of this happening. I've 100 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 2: been bored by certain principles that they're confiscating box floads 101 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 2: every term of eas smoking, vape things, what do you 102 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 2: call them? 103 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 1: I don't know. 104 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 2: Wow, it's it's a huge problem and as soon as 105 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 2: we get out there with it, with the proper health information, 106 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:34,719 Speaker 2: the better. Tabby. 107 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:37,840 Speaker 1: Do you think that other schools need to go down 108 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 1: the path that the likes of duh and Middle School 109 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:44,160 Speaker 1: have gone down where they do have those detectors in 110 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:46,760 Speaker 1: the toilets because you know, if you've got kids that 111 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:48,839 Speaker 1: are scared to go into the toilet at lunch time 112 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 1: because other people are vaping in there, I mean, do 113 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:54,840 Speaker 1: we need to take it a step further and implement 114 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:55,920 Speaker 1: that across the board. 115 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:01,960 Speaker 2: There's sort of a bit of mix as deestiment when 116 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 2: it comes to the vape detectors. The last time I 117 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:10,280 Speaker 2: heard there was sort of some negative feedback around them 118 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 2: in that our ever resourceful children were working at as 119 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 2: you disable them. So if they've come up with a 120 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 2: vape detector, that's you know, camp a proof, well and good, 121 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:26,640 Speaker 2: that's fantastic, but then two that, you know, it depends 122 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 2: on how that then sends out an alarm to whoever 123 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:35,240 Speaker 2: wherever that somebody is vaping in a toilet. But you know, 124 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 2: I think time immemorial there's been problems in school toilets, 125 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 2: you know, whether it be people doing the wrong thing 126 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 2: and whatever, you know, shape or form. But yeah, absolutely 127 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 2: people should be able to go to a toilet and 128 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 2: use the toilet without being fearful. 129 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, it goes without saying, doesn't it. It's like you 130 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 1: think it should be, you know, something that they're absolutely 131 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:00,280 Speaker 1: able to do. Tabby before I let you go, because 132 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 1: you know, we have had over the last couple of days, 133 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 1: people get in contact and say, you know, Katie, I 134 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 1: understand what you're saying about the vapes with children, but 135 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 1: you know, for me, it's gotten me off the cigy's. 136 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 1: It's been a good thing. So it's not all negative, 137 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 1: but just sort of you know, for our listeners out 138 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 1: there who maybe don't realize how big a concern this is, 139 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 1: you know, maybe they don't have kids, or they don't 140 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 1: have kids of that age, yet how worrying is this 141 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:29,760 Speaker 1: issue in our schools right here in the Northern Territory. 142 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:34,439 Speaker 2: Well, the NTI government had to do an inquiry into 143 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:36,720 Speaker 2: it because it's that concerning an issue and we know 144 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 2: that people who start smoking or vaping then will quite 145 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 2: often take up tobacco as well. You know, it is 146 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 2: actually what is known as a gateway drug. So it 147 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:52,360 Speaker 2: is really concerning and I think too, we must be 148 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:55,359 Speaker 2: mindful that this is a this is a really wonderful 149 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:59,199 Speaker 2: first step in getting that public health information out there. 150 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:02,400 Speaker 2: But the crew racial next stage is to continue that. 151 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:06,880 Speaker 2: And you know, we've seen from other jurisdictions that that 152 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 2: that next stage must be that intensive work that's you know, 153 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 2: in a lot of ways led by should be led 154 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:14,640 Speaker 2: by our Department of Health because this is a public 155 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:18,679 Speaker 2: health issue. To work with the Department of Education and 156 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:22,720 Speaker 2: get into the schools and provide some intensive health programs 157 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 2: that will prepare our primary school age, particularly our grade 158 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 2: six is going into year seven because you know, obviously, 159 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:36,280 Speaker 2: you know, primary school is more I suppose, oh. 160 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:40,440 Speaker 1: They're impressionable more, they're quite impressionable. Yeah, and they're open 161 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:44,280 Speaker 1: lot they're actually really quite open to learning that information. 162 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:48,680 Speaker 2: Absolutely. I mean that once again, you know, when we 163 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:52,440 Speaker 2: hark back to the public education campaigns that will run 164 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 2: around you know, smoking cigarettes and tobacco years ago, and 165 00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 2: we saw that those campaigns worked really, really well. But 166 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 2: you know, and I'm not taking away from the fact 167 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 2: that some people find them helpful, but do they really 168 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:09,680 Speaker 2: know what they are smoking via these vapes? You know, 169 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:13,200 Speaker 2: like because it is unregulated. As someone was saying on 170 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 2: the radio the other day, you know, one vape can 171 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:18,560 Speaker 2: hold nine packets worth as nicotine. You know, is that 172 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 2: really really helping you? 173 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 1: Well, yeah, you know, I think it's it's obvious that 174 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:26,480 Speaker 1: it's a it's a bigger issue. I think then what 175 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:28,679 Speaker 1: a lot of people realize unless you are sort of 176 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:31,680 Speaker 1: unless you do have kids that are maybe of that age. 177 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:34,520 Speaker 1: So I think that it is something that definitely we 178 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:37,079 Speaker 1: need to make sure that our young people are educated 179 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 1: in terms of the effects of vaping, but also tabby 180 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:43,840 Speaker 1: in a lot of cases, how they're getting their hands 181 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:46,360 Speaker 1: on those vapes as well, because you know, I've been 182 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 1: told of situations where kids are meeting with strangers in 183 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:53,240 Speaker 1: public places to be able to purchase vapes and things 184 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:56,560 Speaker 1: like that. So it's like to me, there's you know, 185 00:10:56,640 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 1: there's some other sort of hidden dangers there that unless 186 00:10:59,520 --> 00:11:02,320 Speaker 1: you've got key of that age, you might not even realize. 187 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 2: Absolutely, you know that that's absolutely the case, you know, 188 00:11:06,679 --> 00:11:11,079 Speaker 2: and they've become like a currency in some school settings. 189 00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:15,280 Speaker 2: You know, it is a really big problem, really truly is. So, 190 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:20,320 Speaker 2: you know, putos to the anti government for starting the 191 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:23,960 Speaker 2: do you know what your vaping campaign and let's hope 192 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:26,640 Speaker 2: that we see, you know, a massive expansion of public 193 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:31,880 Speaker 2: awareness in a really good public health campaign that alerts 194 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:34,479 Speaker 2: everyone to the dangers of these products. 195 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 1: Tabby Fudge, the president of nt COGS, I always appreciate 196 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:42,160 Speaker 1: your time, Thanks for coming on this morning. 197 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 2: Thanks Katie, have a wonderful day everyone. 198 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:45,839 Speaker 1: You two