Australia to ban leisure vaping in crackdown on e-cigarettes

Australia has banned leisure vaping and tightened different e-cigarette legal guidelines in an enormous crackdown on the tobacco trade because it tries to cease the rise in teenage vaping.

The authorities needs to ban all disposable vapes, which frequently are available in fruity flavours well-liked with younger folks, ban the import of non-prescription vapes and restrict nicotine ranges.

It says it’s aiming for the sale of vapes to be confined to serving to people who smoke give up.

“Just like they did with smoking, big tobacco has taken another addictive product, wrapped it in shiny packaging and
added flavours to create a new generation of nicotine addicts,” Health Minister Mark Butler mentioned in a speech on the National Press Club.

Under the brand new guidelines, vapes will probably be bought solely in pharmacies and require “pharmaceutical type” packaging.

Vaping, broadly seen as a safer various to smoking cigarettes and helpful for serving to people who smoke give up, entails heating
a liquid that comprises nicotine in what is named an e-cigarette and turning it right into a vapour that customers inhale.

But research have proven the potential of long run hurt from the addictive e-cigarettes.

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Mr Butler mentioned vaping had grow to be a leisure product in Australia, largely bought to youngsters and younger folks, who’re 3 times as more likely to take up smoking.

“This is a product targeted at our kids, sold alongside lollies and chocolate bars,” Mr Butler mentioned. “Vaping has now become the number one behavioural issue in high schools. And it’s becoming widespread in primary schools as well.”

Doctors backed the vaping crackdown however urged the federal government to do extra to restrict the variety of younger folks taking it up.

About 22% of Australians aged 18-24 have used an e-cigarette or vaping system a minimum of as soon as, information final yr confirmed.

Though a prescription is required to purchase nicotine vapes in Australia, a thriving unlawful market means they’re readily
obtainable.