Do You Think The Federal Government Has Got The Policy Settings On Vaping Right?

This appeared earlier today:

Pharmacists fume over new law on Australian vape sales

Chemists’ leader says government plan to cut use of tobacco alternative is ‘insulting’ to health professionals

James Salmon  Perth

Sunday July 07 2024, 12.01am, The Sunday Times

At a busy pharmacy in Perth, where customers are waiting for their medicine, the queues are about to get longer.

In an effort to stamp out recreational vaping across Australia, pharmacies have just become the only places in the country allowed to sell vapes of any sort. Soon, controversially, they will be able to sell nicotine vapes without a prescription.

The move has infuriated pharmacists who fear that a step intended to improve national health will effectively turn their premises into modern-day tobacconists. “This is just going to create more hassle for me,” a senior pharmacist said wearily from behind the counter.

Australia has some of the strictest vaping laws in the world. Smoking e-cigarettes containing nicotine has been illegal without a prescription since October 2021 and the import of disposable vapes was banned in January. But vaping rates have surged among younger people and children, as cheap vapes have been brazenly sold anyway in corner shops, petrol stations and online.

As e-cigarettes have infiltrated school playgrounds, the percentage of 14 to 17-year-olds who have tried them has nearly tripled from 9.6 per cent in 2019 to 28 per cent in 2022-23, according to the latest National Drug Strategy Household Survey.

The Labor government has responded to concerns that a new generation is getting hooked on nicotine. Last Monday, Australia became the first country in the world to outlaw the sale of all vapes, whether they contain nicotine or not, apart from in pharmacies.

The domestic manufacture, supply and commercial possession of non-therapeutic and disposable vapes is now illegal, with jail sentences of up to seven years and fines rising up to almost A$2.2 million (£1.16 million) for an individual and A$22 million (£11.6 million) for business.

Vapes must be sold in plain packaging — a move that Australia pioneered with cigarettes more than a decade ago. They are also restricted to three flavours — tobacco, menthol and mint — in an effort to banish the sickly sweet flavours such as bubblegum and candy floss that have proved so appealing to teenagers.

The concentration of nicotine in vapes sold in pharmacies without a prescription will be limited to 20mg per ml — less than half the nicotine content found in many vapes sold on the black market.

The UK appears likely to follow Australia’s lead with Sir Keir Starmer’s new government promising to back legislation introduced by Rishi Sunak to crack down on youth vaping by banning disposable vapes, introduce plain packaging, and restricting sweet and fruity flavours.

However, Australia’s Labor government has found itself at loggerheads with the nation’s chemists, over a deal that it was forced to make to secure support for the latest bill in the senate from the Green party, which is staunchly opposed to prohibition, believing it merely drives consumers to the black market.

Here is the link:

https://www.thetimes.com/world/australasia/article/australian-pharmacists-fume-over-new-law-restricting-vape-sales-tvbgl5qcp

Surely this is going to end badly? Cigarettes are essentially banned for all under 18 and advertising or promotion of cigarettes is illegal in all of Australia. They are legal to purchase but must be in plain packaging. Cigarettes are heavily taxed and the tax rises to keep them very expensive – and a great earner for the Government!

Vapes cannot be sold at tobacconists but cigarettes can be sold for the present.

Here is the current situation:

Vapes cannot be supplied in retail settings 

Vapes can only be supplied through a pharmacy with a prescription. It is illegal for Australian retailers such as tobacconists, vape shops and convenience stores to supply any vapes, even with a prescription.

As of 1 July 2024:

• non-pharmacy retailers are not permitted to sell any vapes, including existing stock
• pharmacies may only sell vapes that comply with the updated product standards.

Here is the link:

https://www.tga.gov.au/products/unapproved-therapeutic-goods/vaping-hub/vapes-information-retailers

So basically it is the pharmacy or nothing!

I am sure pharmacists are going to be less than thrilled about this outcome – as they would feel they have better things to do!

I reckon this is a legislative mess that is going to need to be carefully redone to get the right outcome – which will be vapes are only available from pharmacists and only with a good reason(s) – yet to be clarified!

Right now some quick work is needed to sort out a potential and confusing mess! Watch this space! The Government may have just rushed this one!

David.