Young people in Bendigo are being called upon to help tip the scales on online vaping content and expose the risks and harms of e-cigarettes.

Bendigo Community Health Services has joined with the City of Greater Bendigo and Sports Focus to challenge locals aged 9-18, schools and sports clubs to help design a Vape and Smoke Free campaign.

BCHS Senior Health Promotion Officer Siobhan Sullivan said young people were increasingly exposed to pro-vaping content on social media. Recent VicHealth research had found vape retailers primarily used TikTok and Instagram to target young people, even sharing tips on how to hide vapes at school or home.  

“The aim of our competition is to educate our community about the health harms of vaping and smoking, the benefits of quitting and the importance of ensuring smoke and vape free areas,” Siobhan said.

“We are asking local young people to make a short video, design a poster or write slogans which will be shared on the Greater Bendigo Let’s Talk website and across social media platforms. 

“There is limited content about the risks and harms of vaping relating to young people’s health on social media, and we hope by using the designs and voices of young people, we will help prevent them and their peers from vaping.”  

The competition is an extension of BCHS’s anti-vaping work, which has included delivering education to schools, parents and young people with the message that there is no safe way to vape.

“Some vapes contain as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes, plus many other cancer-causing chemicals, and we know that people who vape are more likely to then take up cigarette smoking,” Siobhan said.

A series of health promotion sessions at Bendigo schools, in conjunction with the COGB, asked students to nominate places they would like to become smoke and vape free.

The top responses included public places, near people walking down the street, bus stops and public transport, Lake Weeroona, Lake Neangar, the Sunday markets and anywhere that children gather, such as playgrounds.

Siobhan said BCHS is committed to supporting the COGB’s Reducing Tobacco & E-Cigarette Related Harm Strategy to implement smoke and vape free zones in Bendigo, and this competition is part of the process.

She said entries for the Vape and Smoke Free Campaign design competition could focus on the harms of vaping and smoking, the benefits of quitting, or promoting smoke and vape free areas.

The competition is open until December 1. Prizes for best individual, class/team and school/club include spike ball kits, snap fitness vouchers, pool passes, Little Ninja Warrior vouchers and more. Details and submissions at https://bit.ly/3ZME7rt