Ear-bashing

THANKS for highlighting the danger to public health caused by people deliberately modifying vehicles to emit ear-splitting levels of noise (“Roar Wounds,” Voice, November 5, 2022). 

Members of the public have the right to go about their business without incurring actual damage to their hearing due to the ‘revving’ of vehicles which have had their exhaust mufflers removed – a ‘modification’ which should be banned. 

I would appeal to the WA government to fund enough additional positions in an appropriate agency to identify offending vehicles and refer them to the Transport Department for examination. 

Owners of vehicles found to be without mufflers or otherwise in breach of noise standards should be required to promptly make their vehicles compliant. A publicity campaign alerting the public to this problem would also be helpful. 

Name and details supplied
Maylands

Not as bad

LUMPING vape bans into Perth’s new smoke-free areas wrongly sends the message that vaping is as harmful as smoking (“Smoked out,” Voice, November 24, 2022). 

This is patently untrue and will only serve to discourage smokers from switching to vaping.

Contrary to what this policy indicates, there have been no identified health risks of passive or ‘second-hand’ vaping. 

Most of the harmful chemicals in smoke are absent from second-hand vapour and those present are at extremely low levels, below the threshold for harm. 

Furthermore, vapour consists of liquid droplets which dissipate quickly, especially outdoors, unlike the solid particles in cigarette smoke. 

Allowing vapers to vape discretely in smoke-free areas would incentivise smokers to switch to a less harmful alternative to deadly cigarettes, without causing harm to bystanders.

Should vapers be blowing vape clouds into the path of pedestrians? No. But this is simply good etiquette. 

Official bans and fines are simply not appropriate.

Our government needs to start acting seriously when it comes to helping smokers quit. Blanket bans and ill-advised policies are only clouding the problem for adult smokers.

Dr Colin Mendelsohn
Double Bay, NSW
The Ed says: Recent research on vaping suggests second-hand vape is probably not as bad as cigarette smoke, but still likely to have risks for bystanders.