Ranagatahi group HASHTAGS Calls For Protection From Harm Caused By Vaping

Today the HASHTAGS a Rangatahi group from Wainuiomata yet again called for the Health Select committee to hear them and protect them from the harm that is being caused by vape products with their peers and their whanau.

The HASHTAGS shared with the Health Select Committee members that they had over the past few years made several submissions both oral and written to both Maori affairs Select Committee and Health Select Committee pleading with them to legislate vaping products to keep them out of their community and not inherit a legacy of addiction for their future.

Catherine Manning the Regional Manager from Takiri Mai te Ata Regional Stop Smoking service said they are getting daily requests from schools and youth services in their region for support for young people to stop vaping and their stop smoking service has seen a huge rise in the use of Vape products and the availability to children in their community.

Catherine Manning has said we have reports of children as young as five years old who are using vape products and it is more prevalent in Maori communities amongst young Maori woman who are being told that it is less harmful than tobacco but have found it hard to quit vaping because of their addiction to nicotine.

For Catherine Manning, the issue is about protection of our cultural identity and cultural capital.

“We want to ensure that our Cultural response is embedded in the supports that we have on offer to whanau and we do this via whanauora practice and values not from a single product.

Catherine said that while these products may have started as an aid whanau to quit smoking, these not what they are being sold to our whanau for. In the words of our Rangatahi, the Hash Tags “when will adults hear our voices and protect our future, Vaping is not our future, stop stealing our possibilities?

For help to stop smoking and vaping in the Greater Wellington, Kapiti, Wairarapa Region ring 0800 926257

ENDS

Catherine Manning

Regional Manager, Takiri Mai te Ata Regional Stop Smoking Service

Whanau Ora Collective

Kokiri Marae Keriana Olsen Trust

7-9 Barnes Street, Seaview, Lower Hutt 5010

DDI: 04-920 1490

M: 021 0264 2354

F: 04-939 4640

E: catherinem@kokiri-hauora.org.nz

W: www.takirimai.org.nz

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