VicHealth welcomes Federal Budget

VicHealth welcomes Federal Budget funding for an Australian Centre for Disease Control and e-cigarette reforms 

9 in 10 parents want government action to protect young people from vaping harms 

VicHealth welcomes the Federal Government’s strong focus on preventive health announced in the Federal Budget. This includes $737 million allocated towards reducing harm from the e-cigarette and tobacco industry along with $91.1 million placed towards establishing an Australian Centre for Disease Control.

The announcement reflects the strong desire for action throughout Australia: A national VicHealth survey found 9 in 10 parents of teens and 8 in 10 young people want to see more done by governments to protect young people from the harms of e-cigarettes.

The National E-Cigarette Awareness and Attitudes Survey, conducted in February and March, also revealed: 

• 9 in 10 parents want to see an end to the marketing of e-cigarette products to young children via social media and digital platforms.   
• Many young people agreed – 3 in 4 of those aged 16 to 30 want to see an end to the marketing of e-cigarette products to young people via social media and digital platforms.  
• 9 in 10 parents want government action to protect teens from vaping harms. 
• And 8 in 10 young people want to see more done by government to protect young people from e-cigarette harms. 

The budget measures build on the groundbreaking reforms announced last week, which include banning the sale of all single use disposable e-cigarettes. The strong action shows the Australian Government is prioritising the health of the community and their desire for action above the profits of the tobacco and vaping industry. 

VicHealth CEO Dr Sandro Demaio welcomed the Budget measures including increased support to help people quit smoking and vaping and a $63.4 million awareness campaign.   

“The funding allocated in the Federal Budget is a welcome step towards protecting the community from e-cigarette harm and places Australia back where it belongs, as a global leader in tobacco control.

“E-cigarettes can contain up to 200 toxic chemicals, including formaldehyde – used as a preservative in morgues  – and nicotine. These chemicals are known to cause cancer and damage our brains, they do not belong in our lungs. 

“There is strong community support for Government action on vaping. It’s fantastic to see the Federal Government responding to prevent a new generation of young people getting hooked on nicotine.”

VicHealth supports the Federal Government’s focus on health throughout the funding announcements, including: 

• $91.1 million towards establishing an Australian Centre for Disease Control to protect and promote health and wellbeing. 
• $378.8 million towards preventive health measures, including $33.6 million for a range of alcohol and drug prevention treatment programs, $40.6m to improve health outcomes for women, girls and gender diverse people including continued support for breastfeeding and the breastmilk bank, and $3.2 million towards programs aimed at healthy eating. 
• $200 million towards funding place-based partnerships to create healthier communities, including the expansion of successful community sport programs, such as Reclink Australia and The Big Issue Community Street Soccer Program, and a focus on evidence-based policy. 

The best preparation for a future pandemic is to lift the baseline health of our population. This welcome investment in prevention is an important step towards tackling the growing and significant burden of chronic disease among Australians.   

MEDIA CONTACT:  
James Lindsey, PR Lead, 0400 714 187 or [email protected]