Oz Bans Disposable Imports
The Hon Mark Butler MP confirmed that Australia’s complete ban on the importation of disposables has been enacted at the start of 2024 leaving Australians facing a £150 bill to get a prescription vape
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by Dave Cross
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The announcement on the ban on the importation of disposable single use vapes is being put into play to, “protect Australians, particularly young people, from the harms of vaping and nicotine dependence, while ensuring those with a legitimate need to access therapeutic vapes can continue to do so, where clinically appropriate.”
They say: “The latest data, from the Australian Secondary Schools Alcohol and Drug survey shows that about one in eight 12- to 15-year-olds and one in five 16- to 17-year-olds had vaped in the past month.
“Approximately 80 per cent of these young people were using disposable vaping devices. Nearly one-third of students tried vaping for the first time when they were aged 15 or 16, while 23 per cent of students reported being 12 years or younger.
“From today, every doctor and nurse practitioner will be able to prescribe therapeutic vaping products, where clinically appropriate, with the commencement of a new Special Access Scheme pathway.”
Health Department data says this move will now leave almost half a million people needing to obtain a prescription for a nicotine-containing vape – in turn placing a huge burden on the health service as it is estimated a million more appointments will be made.
The ridiculous measure will compel smokers to pay AUD$150 (around £80) for each single vape.
Estimates place the cost on the health service at AUD $52.1m (£27million).
Minister Butler said: “Vaping is creating a whole new generation of nicotine dependency in our community, especially amongst young Australians.
“The Albanese Government is taking world leading action to stamp out vaping – to protect a new generation of kids form getting hooked on nicotine.
“If you vape, this New Years make it your resolution to quit.
“This is just the first chapter of the governments vaping reform, the supply of vapes coming into Australia will gradually dry up over the course of 2024, for this reason we strongly encourage all recreational vapers to begin their journey of cessation.”
Despite Butlers’ words, the Health Department says the illegal vape market is already worth over £200 million per year – and that is surely set to grow.
The Health Department is quoted as saying: “Fears that extra regulation may incentivise growth in the black market for nicotine vapes must also be acknowledged. This is a legitimate risk as tighter regulation will often raise the risk of black-market sales.”
The UK’s Under-Secretary of State for Public Health, Andrea Leadsom, has recently spoken positively about Australia’s approach to vaping.
Dave Cross
Journalist at POTVDave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous start-ups to develop content for their websites.
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