Tracey O’Brien: Thanks to hundreds of young people who came forward to share their highly personal vape harm stories

Tracey O’Brien recently shared on LinkedIn:

“Today I was pleased to stand alongside NSW Deputy Premier Prue Car, NSW Health Minister Ryan Park, and NSW Chief Medical Officer Kerry Chant to launch a new, powerful campaign that aims to curb vaping use in young people.

Developed by the Cancer Institute NSW in consultation with more than 600 young people and some of our state’s leading health professionals, the ‘every vape is a hit to your health’ campaign shines a light on vapes proven health harms and hopes to encourage people to really think about what they’re inhaling.

Sharing their story in the campaign and at today’s media conference were Kate and Xavier. Both ended up in hospital due to vapes, and both shared a simple, but powerful message to other young people: Don’t do it. It’s not worth it.

While harms like lung damage, breathlessness, nicotine addiction, nicotine poisoning and burns from exploding vapes are incredibly concerning, so is the growing evidence that non-smokers who vape are three times as likely to take up smoking, significantly increasing a person’s risk of cancer.

Unless we do something now, we’re truly concerned a new generation will become addicted to smoking if vaping use continues to soar in young people.

One campaign isn’t the solution, but together with incredible efforts taking place across government and community, our hope is that our youngest and most vulnerable, will think twice about vaping and seek help to quit.

I’d like to extend my thanks to all involved in the campaign’s development, particularly Kate, Xavier and the hundreds of other young people who came forward to share their highly personal vape harm stories.

Read more about vaping’s health harms and our new campaign.”

Source: Tracey O’Brien/LinkedIn

Dr. Tracey O’Brien is the NSW Chief Cancer Officer and CEO of the Cancer Institute NSW, Australia. Before her current role, Tracey was Director of the Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children’s Hospital, and Director of the Transplant & Cellular Therapy Program. Tracey has held numerous high-profile national and international leadership positions, including Advisory Chair, Cancer Australia; V/Chair (Africa, Asia and Australasia) International Centre for Bone Marrow Transplant Research and V/President of the Australian and New Zealand Children’s Oncology Group. In recognition of her exceptional contributions, Tracey was profiled in 2023 as one of the world’s foremost women in paediatric cancer by the International Society of Paediatric Oncology. In 2019 Tracey was named in the Australian Financial Review’s prestigious Top 10 Women of Influence, winning the Innovation category. In addition to her medical expertise, Tracey has a Master of Law (Health) and executive MBA and serves as a conjoint Professor in Clinical Medicine (UNSW) and Honorary Professor in Science and Engineering (Macquarie University). Dr. O’Brien remains committed to mentoring the next generation of clinician leaders and maintains an active clinical practice in cancer survivorship at Sydney Children’s Hospital.