Do you smoke or vape? Now could be the time to quit
Do you smoke or vape? Have you smoked previously but decided to quit? You’ve no doubt heard of vaping or seen other people doing it and wondered ‘what’s this all about, then’? No matter your experiences, smoking can affect everyone in various ways.
We all know smoking can cause a range of health and wellbeing problems. Tobacco consumption is connected to serious health conditions like strokes, cancer and diabetes—but it can also make your skin age prematurely and affect your reproductive health.
Vaping is also a major health issue we can’t ignore
Vaping—inhaling vapour using an e-cigarette—is a relatively new practice and many people think it’s safer than smoking. Far from being a safer alternative, vaping is extremely addictive and exposes users to a poisonous cocktail of chemicals. Read these busted myths about vaping. There’s also strong behavioural links between vaping and smoking—for example, research shows that people who use e-cigarettes are three times more likely to smoke tobacco, and former smokers who vape are more likely to relapse. Scary stuff.
We want to encourage anyone in the Deakin community who ‘lights up’—either regularly or occasionally—to quit for good. The health and wellbeing of our students is of the utmost importance to us and it’s also a crucial foundation for your studies.
- Nicotine addiction can control you. Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, even if they don’t say so on the label. Nicotine is one of the most addictive drugs we know of. It can harm the way your brain develops. Nicotine addiction can happen very quickly, especially in young people. Becoming addicted to nicotine can change the way you think, feel and act, and create challenges in relationships, study or work commitments.
- Vaping products are intentionally designed and marketed to keep you hooked. In conjunction with the addition of nicotine, vape products are laced with alluring flavours and widely promoted on social media by the industry and influencers.
- Vaping products contain harmful chemicals. Vape products contain a potent mix of toxic chemicals and heavy metals known to be harmful to human health, including the same substances found in paint thinner, biofuels and insect sprays. These chemicals include known causes of cancer, heart disease and lung disease. Vaping products have also been known to explode and cause burn injuries to users for this very reason.
- Vaping products are highly wasteful and harm our environment. Because they contain metals and other dangerous synthetic materials, and due to their plastic composition, the production and disposal of vape devices has a highly pollutive effect on the environment.
You should also be aware of the strict vaping laws in Victoria—it’s illegal to:
- buy or sell an e-cigarette or any liquid that contains nicotine without a doctor’s prescription
- sell an e-cigarette or a liquid intended to be used in an e-cigarette (even if it doesn’t contain nicotine) to someone under 18.
Ready to quit smoking or vaping? We can help!
You’re not alone! We know that quitting isn’t an easy process, especially if your friends smoke or vape, but we’re with you every step of the way. Better to quit now and spare yourself problems with addiction and ill health later down the track.
To start your smoke-free journey, contact the Deakin Medical Centre. We provide free Quit counselling support, so book an appointment now. According to WHO, your chance of quitting successfully increases by a whopping 84% if you receive professional medical advice.
Contact Quitline
As well as helping people to quit smoking, Quitline can help you to stop vaping. When you call Quitline, you speak confidentially with a qualified counsellor who can answer your questions without judgement, and support you on how you would like to quit. They’ll be there for you when you need them, at any stage of your quitting journey. Even if it takes a few attempts to stay quit.
Visit the Quit website for amazing resources which provide personalised support for your quitting journey, including the vapingfacts.org.au website and the new ‘See through the haze’ campaign which will help you learn more about the dangers of e-cigarettes.
Remember: there’s no smoking or vaping at Deakin
Deakin says ‘no’ to smoking and vaping—this includes our grounds, buildings and carparks, and extends to electronic cigarettes. This is to keep our community healthy and ensure a clean and enjoyable campus experience for all.
It’s not just Deakin taking this stance—all Victorian universities have similar policies. So, if you see someone vaping or smoking on campus, politely ask them to stop or butt out!