Making Healthy Public Policy
Assignment 4: E-cigarettes: analysing a public health policy
Due date: XXXXXXXXXXpm, Tuesday 16th August 2020
Assignment length: 3000 words
Assignment value: 35%
Assignment outline
E-cigarettes are devices that make vapour for smoking. They are often marketed as a way to
quit smoking. Despite their growing popularity, little is known about the chemicals they may
contain or their health effects. Perceptions of potential risks and benefits of e-cigarette use
vary widely among the public, users of e-cigarettes, health care providers, and the public
health community.
For this assignment you have been asked by the Australian Health Minister to determine if a
public health policy for e-cigarettes is required. The Minister specifically wants you to make a
ecommendation on whether e-cigarettes should be banned in Australia. To do this you will
need to complete the following steps.
You should:
1. Outline the public health concerns associated with e-cigarettes
• What are the public health concerns re e-cigarettes that have been identified both in
Australia and internationally?
• What is the extent of e-cigarette usage in Australia?
• Describe some of the health outcomes that have been associated with smoking e-
cigarettes? (
• Who does it effect? Is there a population that is most affected in terms of using e-
cigarettes?
• What is the strength of the evidence that you have identified around the health
impacts of e-cigarettes?
2. Describe the main stakeholders who would have an interest in a policy on e-cigarettes
and why
• Who are the stakeholders? Consider the range of stakeholders, who may not all be
from the health sector
• What would be the perspective of each of these stakeholders on e-cigarettes?
3. Make a recommendation on which would be the best policy option, including the reason
you have selected this option
• Make a case for one policy option
• What evidence supports your recommended option?
• What alternative policy options did you consider?
In completing the assignment
• you should use sub-headings
• you can use graphs and tables -these are not included in the word count
• use appropriate referencing which is based on either the Vancouver referencing
template or the APA referencing template. These are explained in the Li
ary
Health Essentials module (on the MyUni dashboard) which you have been asked
to complete
Some resources to get you started
• National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) statement on e-cigarettes
• Australian Government’s guiding principles for e-cigarettes
• CSIRO literature review into the use and health impacts of e-cigarettes and personal
vaporisers
• Annual update of Public Health England’s e-cigarette evidence review by leading
independent tobacco experts. https:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/vaping-
in-england-evidence-update-march-2020
• Surgeon General’s Advisory on E-cigarette Use Among Youth.
https:
www.cdc.gov/tobacco
asic_information/e-cigarettes/surgeon-general-
advisory/index.html
https:
nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/ceo-statement-electronic-cigarettes
https:
www.health.gov.au
esources/publications/policy-and-regulatory-approach-to-electronic-cigarettes-e-cigarettes-in-australia
https:
www.csiro.au/en/Research/BF/Areas/Nutrition-and-health/Public-health-and-wellbeing/Case-studies/E-cigarettes-report
https:
www.csiro.au/en/Research/BF/Areas/Nutrition-and-health/Public-health-and-wellbeing/Case-studies/E-cigarettes-report
https:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/vaping-in-england-evidence-update-march-2020
https:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/vaping-in-england-evidence-update-march-2020
https:
www.cdc.gov/tobacco
asic_information/e-cigarettes/surgeon-general-advisory/index.html
https:
www.cdc.gov/tobacco
asic_information/e-cigarettes/surgeon-general-advisory/index.html