Vaping health exhibition answers all your questions

Have you ever wondered what is really in a vape? An innovative health exhibition in Warragul will answer your questions.
West Gippsland Healthcare Group and Baw Baw Shire have partnered to bring VicHealth's innovative "What's Really in a Vape?" sculpture to the arts centre from November 6 to 27.
Recently on display at Melbourne's Scienceworks, the sculpture reveals the secret dangers that lurk within e-cigarettes or 'vapes'.
Although there has been significant progress in tobacco control over the past 50 years, the use of e-cigarettes in Victoria has surged dramatically.
VicHealth statistics indicate 77,200 Victorian adults who had never smoked before began vaping between 2018 to 2022. More than half of the adults who vaped in 2022 were aged between 18 and 29.
As a paramedic, Baw Baw Shire mayor Annemarie McCabe is no stranger to the potential negative health impacts of smoking and vaping and hopes the sculpture will raise awareness of the harm vaping poses, particularly amongst young people.
"The health of our young people features as a priority area of council's Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan.
"Unfortunately, many people – and young people in particular – aren't aware of the dangers of vaping, and a lot of that has to do with the fact that vapes aren't labelled with what's inside them.
"Vapes can contain more than 200 harmful chemicals, including chemicals like those used in weed killer, paint stripper and bleach. This sculpture makes it all plain for anyone to see. I think it will be a great tool to help people better understand what they're exposing themselves to when they vape.," Cr McCabe said.
The sculpture's temporary residency at WGAC will be supplemented by a free public education session delivered by founder and director of Drug Education Australia Sharon Torpey.
The session will be held on Thursday, November 16 at 6.30pm. Bookings are essential at https://bit.ly/wgac-vaping-risks-and-harms.
Sessions, organised with local schools, also will be held with years seven, eight and nine students.
West Gippsland Healthcare Group acting chief executive officer Trish O'Kelly encouraged the community to see the sculpture and attend the information session.
"Smoking and vaping both pose serious health concerns, especially for our young people.
"In hospitals, we see the consequences of teen vaping. We see young people presenting with lung issues and addiction. Understanding the risks and harm is important for our community," she said.
"What's Really in a Vape" is free for all members of the public to view during WGAC operating hours.