Queensland Education Minister Grace Grace has denied she has played down the seriousness of vaping or e-cigarettes.

She was quoted earlier in the year saying “Obviously, vaping is a concern, but it’s no bigger an issue than kids bringing cigarettes to school in my day – it’s not a bigger issue than that.”

She told Peter Fegan the comments were taken out of context, she says young people smoking cigarettes and vaping as “terrible”.

“I went to school in the 60s and 70s when smoking was everywhere and it was a serious issue back then.

“In a very long conversation, the point I was making was it was a very serious issue then, people smoked everywhere, you could go to a shop, and me as a child, would buy them for my grandfather, and bring them hope.

“The issue I was making, back then we weren’t educated about the dangers of vaping, or cigarettes or anything, they were glamorised through ads on the TV.”

She says to suggest she downplayed the “dangers and disgustingness of vaping or e-cigarettes” is completely out of context and doesn’t reflect her comments or beliefs.

Press PLAY below to hear her thoughts