Elevating the voices of young northern Tasmanians

Launceston student Hazel Doyle feels so passionately about banning vaping, she submitted a speech to the Raising our Voices in Parliament campaign, hoping to hear her message heard in the federal parliament.

Championing the voices of young Australians, Raising our Voices in Parliament is a nationwide campaign giving the opportunity for anyone under the age of 21 to submit a 90-second speech on an issue that matters to them, to be read by their local federal member of Parliament.

Federal Member for Bass Bridget Archer said Hazel’s speech was chosen due to thought and consideration put forward by the local teenager on a contentious issue.

“Vaping is a topical issue which needs to be scrutinised more by federal and state parliamentarians, as we consider how to best support the health of our communities and particularly young people who can be heavily influenced by this trend,” Mrs Archer said.

Hazel flew to Parliament House in Canberra in late November to hear her speech read out in the Federation Chamber.

Below is Hazel’s speech:

I want the Australian Government to achieve the creation of laws to ban nicotine and vapes and make them illegal to people under 30 and vapes should be banned to be on or near school properties or facilities that work with under 18s.

Even being exposed to smoke and vaping increases the likelihood of harm to that child vaping or smoking from a young age and getting a drug addiction.

Nicotine and vaping harms brain development up to 25 years old, not to mention the major health risks. According to Kids Health Information.org, vaping impacts learning, memory, attention, and it increases the risk of drug addiction.

As a year 7 school student myself, I see a lot of students my age in year 7 and 8 at my school getting vapes from relatives and friends and vaping in school which causes many mental and physical health risks such as rapid onset coughing, nausea, lung diseases, depression and suicidal tendencies. Also, teachers, child carers, staff members who work with or near children and teens, who smoke or vape can expose the children to smoke and the chemicals in vapes.

Overall, our Australian Government needs to take action and make changes for the future Australian generations of children. Vaping must be banned.