Australian Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler, will be proposing further restrictions on vaping products, and a public consultation to this regard was announced at an event at Parliament House in Canberra last week, to mark 10 years since plain packaging laws were introduced. The process will be carried out through drugs regulator the Therapeutic Goods Administration on nicotine vaping products. “We need to understand where the current regulatory framework falls short and what action governments can take to move the dial,” said Butler.
Meanwhile in contrast to Butler’s arguments, a recent study recently published in BMJ Open has confirmed that Australia’s harsh and outdated vape policy, and has stalled the country’s smoking cessation efforts.
Discussing the study in a recent post on his blog page, tobacco treatment expert Dr. Colin Mendelsohn said that in Canada and the UK, smoking consumption and smoking rates in young adults declined faster after vaping became available. “However in Australia, the decline in cigarette consumption by adult smokers has slowed and the decline in smoking rates in young adults has also slowed after vaping became available.”
The submissions’ deadline is January 16th 2023
Subsequently in another blog last week, Mendelsohn highlighted that until now vapers and pro-vaping experts have not had the opportunity to give input on any vape regulations. To this effect, they are being urged to make a brief submission to the TGA consultation on Nicotine Vaping Products (NVPs) now. The deadline for submissions is 16 January 2023
The expert went on to explain in detail why the current regulations are not working. He has previously highlighted that Australia has some of the harshest (and ineffective) regulations worldwide. “Australia has the harshest vaping regulations in the western world based on misguided concerns that vaping could lead young people who would otherwise not take up smoking to smoke. However this is perversely preventing adults from accessing a life-saving alternative and leading to more smoking-related deaths and illnesses,” added Mendelsohn.
Study: Australia’s Vape Policy is Slowing Decline in Smoking Rates
