Around 100 people attended a rally againt vaping in Hawkes Bay on Saturday 24 February. Photo by Edward Roberts. Photo supplied by Vape-Free Kids NZ.
<h2><span data-contrast="auto">Educators were among the supporters in the crowd last Saturday in Hawkes Bay at a rally against vaping.</span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></h2>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Rally organiser Sukdeep Singh said their goal was to “show national political leaders that we are not going to sit by quietly while these stores keep feeding the growing youth vaping crisis.</span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
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<p><span data-contrast="auto">“This issue is affecting our kids’ wellbeing, their studies, their families and their futures.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Tim Van Zyl, principal of Napier Intermediate School, said that he was among the crowd “because of the impact vaping is having in schools.</span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
<figure id="attachment_29710" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-29710" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img class="size-medium wp-image-29710" src="https://www.schoolnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/ERobertsMustCredit27-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-29710" class="wp-caption-text">Tim Van Zyl speaking at the rally on Saturday. Photo by Edward Roberts, supplied by Vape-Free Kids NZ</figcaption></figure>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“A lot of our kids are addicted to nicotine, vaping. And these are eleven or twelve-year-old kids, intermediate age children constantly trying to sneak out of class. If something stops them from being able to vape then they become agitated and that’s a barrier for learning.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
<p>Speaking at the event, Van Zyl said that at his school, vapes had become a commodity and were being bartered and traded between children.</p>
<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s damaging our children&#8217;s ability to learn.&#8221; </p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Van Zyl was among other speakers like Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall, the opposition spokesperson for Health, Deputy Mayor of Napier Annette Brosnan and Hastings Councillor Wendy Schollum. Other supporters included community groups such as the Asthma Foundation New Zealand and the Cancer Society. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
<p>At the event, Joel Wilton, Principal of Havelock North High School called on our legislators to do &#8220;what they&#8217;ve done before&#8221; and change &#8220;legislation, cost, marketing and availability&#8221; of vaping, as they&#8217;d done to cigarettes decades prior. </p>
<figure id="attachment_29711" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-29711" style="width: 200px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img class="size-medium wp-image-29711" src="https://www.schoolnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/ERobertsMustCredit5-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-29711" class="wp-caption-text">Hastings Youth Councilors Milly Petrie from Karamu high school and Chris Proctor from Lindisfarne College. Photo by Edward Roberts, supplied by Vape-Free Kids NZ.</figcaption></figure>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Around 100 people were in attendance at the rally. Van Zyl called the event “really successful,” though he expressed disappointment that the current Health Minister Casey Costello did not engage with the rally.</span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">In the future, Van Zyl said he would like to see vapes made into a prescription medicine. He said that although young people were no longer smoking, they were turning to a “more available and attractive” substitute. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">In an interview with RNZ, co-founder of Vape-Free Kids NZ Marnie Wilton said that the group was disappointed about the recent repeal of Smokefree legislation. The group said their protest was about having a “nicotine-free” generation, and they’d like to see the government enforce stronger regulations on the tobacco industry. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
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