Sekuyisikhathi eside abazali bekhathazekile ngezingane zabo ezingaphansi kweminyaka engu-18 ezihlola imikhiqizo yokufutha. Kodwa-ke, izinto zisanda konakala ngemuva kokuvela kwemibiko yokuthi kunenqwaba yentsha engosomabhizinisi iTeesside etholwe ithengisela ontanga esikoleni imikhiqizo yokufutha.
Le mibiko inezinduna zezempilo, othisha nabazali abakhathazekile ngobungozi bemikhiqizo evuzayo echaya le ntsha. Ukuthengisa imikhiqizo ye-vaping kulabo abangaphansi kweminyaka engu-18 akukho emthethweni e-UK. Kodwa-ke, uma ineminyaka engaphansi kwe-18 ibantshontshela esikoleni lokho kuyindaba ehlukile. Lokhu kuyinto uMandy Mackinnon, isikhulu sezempilo yomphakathi esikuvumayo: “Sifunde nokunye Osemncane abantu bebengosomabhizinisi futhi bathengisa ama-vapes ezikoleni, ngakho-ke sisebenzisana nezikole ngalolo hlangothi.
Imininingwane esabisa kakhulu evela emibikweni yezingane ezifuthayo ezikoleni nangaphandle kwamasango esikole ukusetshenziswa kwama-Geek Bars esikhundleni semikhiqizo evamile yokushunqisa. UMandy naye ubona lokhu njengenye inkinga enkulu abalungisayo.
“Sisebenzisana namazinga okuhweba kumaGeek Bars. Leli yigama elivamile lama-vape anesilinganiso esiphezulu se-nicotine, futhi angalawulwa ngendlela efanayo namanye,” kusho yena.
UCllr McCoy ubona sengathi sekuyisikhathi sokuthi uhulumeni athathe izinyathelo ezinqala zokwenza imikhiqizo yokushunqisa ifinyeleleke kalula ezinganeni. Ukholelwa ukuthi i-vaping yezingane ingumphumela oqondile wokugqugquzelwa kwemikhiqizo ye-vaping. Uthi: “Ngicabanga ukuthi njengoba siqhubeka kuzoba nobufakazi obuningi bomphumela okuba nawo kubantu abasha.”
Ngonyaka odlule kuphela ithimba lamazinga okuhweba eStockton lishaqe imikhiqizo engekho emthethweni engaphezu kuka-3,000. Eminye yale mikhiqizo engase ibe yingozi iqondise izingane ngokufaka opopayi nama-flavour atholakala ku-bubblegum ne-ice cola phakathi kokudla okulula kwezingane eziningi.
Ingxoxo mayelana ne-vaping phakathi kwezingane ilethe izikhulu zikahulumeni eziningi ezifuna ukunikeza ukwesekwa kwazo ukuqeda le nkinga. Umholi womkhandlu uCllr Bob Cook owayeka ukubhema ngo-1996 ngemva kweminyaka engu-20 engumlutha wokubhema uthi ukuhogela noma yini ngaphandle kwe-oxygen kuyingozi empilweni yakho. UCllr Steve Nelson ngakolunye uhlangothi ukholelwa ukuthi inkinga ilele ezinkampanini zikagwayi ezihlale zibheke isizukulwane esizayo samakhasimende.
USarah Bowman-Abouna, isikhulu sezempilo yomphakathi ukholelwa ukuthi inkinga isekutheni ugwayi we-elekthronikhi ukhuthazwa kanjani. Ngokufanelekile, uhulumeni uvumela kuphela ukugqugquzelwa kukagwayi we-elekthronikhi njengezinsiza zokulumula imilutha ekubhemeni. Kodwa izinto eziningi zokukhangisa zikagwayi we-elekthronikhi okuhlanganisa namagama abo namaphakheji akhangayo aqondiswe kwabancane.
“Ukuze kucace, sigqugquzela i-vaping njengendlela yokuyeka ukubhema. Ngeke nakancane sigqugquzele ukufuthwa kwemfucuza kunoma ngubani owayengabhemi - impela hhayi ezinganeni,” kusho yena.
Owayekade ebhema u-Cllr Clare Gamble uthi ukusebenza kwama-vapes njengosizo lokusiza ababhemayo bathule. Uthi: “Ngayeka ukubhema ngemva kweminyaka engu-15 ngisebenzisa i-vape njengendlela yokuyeka ngakho ngicabanga ukuthi “ukuyeka futhi ushintshe” kuyisikhuthazo esihle ngempela uma ubheka intengo yama-vapes.”
Bonke abaholi bayavuma ukuthi nakuba ama-vape engamathuluzi awusizo kubantu abafuna ukuyeka ukubhema, kufanele kwenziwe yonke imizamo ukuze kuqinisekiswe ukuthi abayitholi indlela yabo ezandleni zezingane noma abantu abadala abangakaze babheme. Bathi kuningi okusamele kwenziwe ukuze kuvinjwe izingane ukuthi zingavuthi ezikoleni.
