Circular absurdity in Knight’s vape cartoon illustrates appalling truth

Vaping has become very popular, not only among those trying to give up tobacco and traditional cigarettes, but now nicotine-laced vapes have spread their addictive tentacles into the youth market and even worse, children.

E-cigarettes, as they were once called, were a product only available under prescription from a doctor to help smokers give up their habit.

But a black market grew at a rapid rate through organised crime and under-the-counter sales, so just about anyone of any age could purchase the product.

The insidious advertising techniques used by “Big Tobacco and Big Vape” companies targeted young people with candy and fruity flavoured vapes as well as bright coloured packaging with cute cartoon designs to get children hooked on nicotine and develop vaping habits.

Kind of like Bambi selling vapes to kids.

In order to prevent a new generation of addiction, the Federal Government has decided to ban imported disposable vapes from January 1.

It will be a tough task for Australian border force and customs officials, who will have to work hard to prevent them from entering the country. At the moment, a thriving black market imports millions of flavoured disposable vapes from China, which are sold here to young adults and kids through social media, tobacco shops and convenience stores.

I thought I would have a look at the issue of vaping in a cartoon, so I started googling the product and was shocked to read that kids as young as five had gotten their hands on vapes and were using them!

I refused to believe that this could occur – but when you combine lolly flavours in cartoon packaging, I guess it was bound to happen.

I had this vision in my head of a suburban park, parents with prams with toddlers in them and some of the children having dummies to pacify them – like little “Maggie” in the Simpsons, gently sucking away.

Trying to wean toddlers off oral pacifiers can be a tough job, just like adults trying to give up smoking.

That’s when I thought I would broach the subject of young children vaping. I drew one of the youngsters in their stroller, not with a dummy, but with a vape, casually exhaling a huge plume of vaping steam.

In an offhand way, he says that his vaping is to help him give up his “dummy addiction”, a nod to the original medical use of vapes to help smokers quit – but obviously an absurd idea for a toddler.

Unfortunately, devious Big Tobacco and Big Vape executives and organised crime syndicates pushing these nefarious products would probably promote that giving up the dummy is a perfectly good reason to take to the vape.

Don’t be a slave, kids, stick with the dummy!

POLL

GLOSSARY

• black market: the illegal trade of goods
• under-the-counter: hidden away because it is illegal
• insidious: something gradual and subtle that has harmful consequences
• imported: brought into the country from overseas
• disposable: something that you throw away after use
• offhand: ungracious
• big vape: companies selling vapes and making billions of dollars in the process
• big tobacco: companies that sell tobacco and cigarettes, also making billions of dollars
• devious: underhanded
• organised crime syndicates: networks of criminals operating in gangs
• nefarious: criminal

EXTRA READING
New vaping laws: changes made to reduce teen usage
Giving teenagers the facts about vaping
Ceasefire on a wing and a prayer

QUICK QUIZ
1. How has “Big Vape” targeted kids?
2. Why has the Federal Government moved to ban imported disposable vapes?
3. How did cartoon character Maggie Simpson inspire Mark Knight’s cartoon on vaping?
4. In what ways is vaping bad for your health?
5. What country do black market vapes come from?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Humour analysis
After reading and analysing the Mark Knight cartoon in the Kids News article, complete the following analysis questions to help you get the full humour out of his drawing.

Mark Knight Cartoon Analysis:
What is the main issue Mark Knight is highlighting:
Who is portrayed in the cartoon:
How are they portrayed?
What is the humour in the drawing:
Who might agree with his viewpoint?
Who might disagree or possibly be offended by this viewpoint?
Do you think he makes a good point? Explain your answer.

Time: allow 25 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

2. Extension
Write a response to this cartoon from the viewpoint of one of the people or objects portrayed in the cartoon. Think, what would be their response to the speech bubble and satire from the cartoon?

Write or draw your response below.

Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Visual Arts, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

VCOP ACTIVITY
What happens next?
Imagine this story is part of an animated series made up of three cartoons. The three cartoons tell the complete story and this article is only Part 1. Think about what the rest of the story could be and draw the next two cartoons that tell the story.

Time: allow 30 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Visual Arts, Visual Communication Design, Critical and Creative Thinking