Sydney, Jan 1 – This year, the Australian government is implementing a series of measures to restrict access to vapes, with new regulations being introduced from today, January 1st.
The reforms aim to address existing loopholes in the current laws that allow easy access to highly addictive and harmful vaping products that are marketed towards children. These products are often flavored, cheap, and are readily available in the market.
Under the new regulations, vapes will still be accessible through a prescription for individuals using them as a means to quit smoking. However, the Therapeutic Goods Administration will closely regulate the prescription-only vapes.
Prior to these rule changes, vaping products imported and sold in Australia were required to be nicotine-free unless obtained through a pharmacy with a valid prescription from a qualified health professional. Individuals were also allowed to import nicotine vapes from overseas under the Personal Importation Scheme, provided they had a valid prescription.
Unfortunately, the vaping industry took advantage of these loopholes and openly sold products containing nicotine to young people, falsely claiming they were nicotine-free. Determining the nicotine content in these products required laboratory testing, which was both time-consuming and expensive, considering the high volume of importations.
The new regulations aim to address these challenges by offering clarity and easier enforcement. They also seek to tackle the issue of readily accessible vapes, which is the primary challenge in preventing young people from taking up vaping.
The regulatory changes will be introduced in three phases:
1. Importation Ban:
Starting from today, a ban on the importation of all disposable and single-use vapes will be implemented. These are the most popular products among young people due to the variety of flavors available, including fruit, confectionery, cocktails, and tobacco. Although these vapes cannot be refilled, they come in different sizes, ranging from a few hundred puffs to over 10,000 puffs.
Disposable vapes have flooded the Australian market, contributing to the alarming increase in vape use among teenagers and young adults.
From March 1, 2024, the importation of all other vapes, including refillable products, will be banned. Importers will be required to hold a license and permit from the Office of Drug Control to lawfully import vapes, which will only be sold in pharmacies to users with a valid prescription. The Personal Importation Scheme allowance for vapes will also end on March 1, 2024, meaning all vape users must obtain their products from a pharmacy in Australia.
During this initial phase, retailers will be allowed to sell their existing stock of nicotine-free vapes. However, it is essential to note that these products often contain nicotine despite the labeling claims.
2. Domestic Manufacture and Sales Ban:
The next phase of reforms, expected to take effect in late 2024, will prohibit the retail sale of all types of vaping products, regardless of their claimed nicotine content. This ban will also extend to the manufacture, supply, advertising, and commercial possession of vapes outside the prescription framework.
Amendments to the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 will be required to implement these changes. The exact date for federal Parliament’s consideration of these amendments has yet to be determined.
3. Prescription Access:
Changes to prescription access for vapes used for therapeutic purposes are also underway. As of today, all medical and nurse practitioners will have the authority to prescribe therapeutic vapes for smoking cessation or nicotine dependence management.
Further changes to strengthen the standards for therapeutic vapes are expected by March 1, 2024. These changes may include limits on nicotine content, permitted flavors, and standardized medical-style packaging for prescription vapes.
For vape users, it is important to note that vapes for therapeutic purposes will remain accessible through prescriptions. The widening of the pool of medical professionals who can prescribe vapes ensures the prescription model is more effective. Nevertheless, it is crucial to understand that vaping products are still unapproved medicines that have not undergone the same rigorous safety and effectiveness testing as other evidence-based quit smoking aids.
If you are considering quitting smoking or vaping, seek support from your doctor, contact the Quitline (13 7848), or access help online.
With these new regulations, the Australian government aims to tackle the growing issue of vaping among young people while ensuring that those who use vapes for therapeutic purposes still have access to them under medical supervision.
