Legislation for a world-first ban on disposable vapes is set to pass federal Parliament’s lower house within weeks, as public health bodies urge politicians to heed their warnings on what they say are the catastrophic health dangers of e-cigarettes. Source: The Australian.
Health Minister Mark Butler will today introduce the final tranche of sweeping laws that ban the importation, manufacture, supply, and commercial possession of disposable single use and non-therapeutic vapes amid a massive proliferation of the products via the black market.
The vaping reforms bill preserves legitimate patient access to therapeutic vapes that are scripted by doctors and distributed by pharmacies in the context of smoking cessation and the management of nicotine dependence.
Public health bodies have given their strong support to the tough laws, but some parliamentarians and experts are concerned that a prohibitionist policy will further fuel the illicit trade that is operating from a huge number of pop-up convenience stores and tobacco shops.
There are concerns that many vapers will shun the prescription model and continue to access more dangerous illicit vapes on the black market, which law enforcement experts say is now so large it is unlikely to be able to be controlled.
Public health groups are strongly in support of banning disposable vapes and pursuing a therapeutic nicotine cessation strategy – something no other country has attempted.
The Opposition is debating its position on the policy and has expressed doubts about a prohibitionist approach, as have the Greens.
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Vape ban laws to go before parliament (Natasha Robinson, The Australian)
