Photo: Gary Rantetadung (centre) with Australian Council on Smoking and Health staff Geraldine Mellet, Dr Natalia Lizama, Stephanie Maher and Laura Hunter (left-right).
Gary Rantetadung, an Australia Awards Scholarship recipient from Indonesia studying a Master of Public Health at the University of Western Australia (UWA), interned with the Australian Council of Smoking and Health (ACOSH) in Semester One, helping with research into a nicotine product that has been growing in popularity.
The internship, which Gary undertook through the McCusker Centre for Citizenship’s program, provided him with the opportunity to gain new insights into public health and tobacco control as well as the chance to contribute to research on nicotine pouches, a topic new to many people, including health professionals.
“My internship project will help ACOSH enhance public health professionals' knowledge on nicotine pouches in key areas such as chemical substances, nicotine content, health risks, and marketing strategies. This information is crucial for public health professionals to understand the potential dangers and regulatory needs associated with these products,” Gary said.
Gary’s research also provided data that will be able to increase consumer awareness of these products.
“It is important that information is available on nicotine strength levels in all nicotine pouch brands. This transparency can help consumers make informed choices about the products before considering using them, potentially steering them away from higher-risk options.
“All the information from my project will be used by ACOSH to create resources including infographics to increase public awareness about the risks arising from the use of nicotine pouches.”
Gary said the internship had given him new insight into the vulnerability of young people to potentially harmful and addictive products.
“I was surprised to discover how aggressively tobacco companies target people through social media and influencer partnerships. And with appealing packaging and various flavours of nicotine pouches, young people are in danger of becoming consumers of these addictive products.
“I used to think that tobacco control was the government's business, but through my internship, I realised that the government cannot do it alone, and needs help and support from independent institutions such as ACOSH, health professional organisations, universities and communities, all working together.”
Dr Natalia Lizama, Research and Advocacy Manager at ACOSH, said that Gary had made a significant contribution to ACOSH’s tobacco control advocacy work.
“As a research intern, Gary has been a valued member of the ACOSH team. Gary’s pharmacological expertise has been put to great use while he reviewed and summarised the literature on nicotine pouches,” Dr Lizama said.
“Nicotine pouches are a growing problem in Australia and Gary’s research will make a valuable contribution to ACOSH’s advocacy in this space.”
Laura Hunter, Co-CEO at ACOSH, said that it had been “a fantastic experience to have Gary work with us”.
“Gary’s work has been of a very high standard, and it’s been a delight to have him as part of our team. We look forward to future collaborations with the McCusker Centre for Citizenship.”
As an avid volunteer, Gary recommended the McCusker Centre for Citizenship internship to other students as an excellent personal development experience.
“Since starting my studies at UWA, I have aspired to graduate with more than a degree, and I have been involved in various volunteer activities both on and off campus to work towards this goal,” he said.
“I have been involved with Unimentor, Unistart, and the Association of Indonesian Postgraduate Students and Scholars in Australia. Off campus, my volunteer activities include being in a host team at a local church, being on the Perkin Women's Cancer event team, and online mentoring of prospective scholarship applicants.
“In this internship, I was not only learning, gaining professional experience and networking – it was another opportunity to serve the community and contribute as an active citizen using the skills and knowledge gained during university.
“The Centre has a positive and supportive environment with a dedicated team to ensure all students get equal opportunities to make the most of their experience.”