HIF CEO Justin James has spoken out on vaping and cigarette use in Australia, emphasising the need for stringent regulatory measures.
James highlighted the introduction of new laws that came into effect at the beginning of March, which significantly restrict the importation of vaping products, including liquids with or without nicotine, and vaping hardware. Under these new regulations, individuals seeking to use nicotine in their vaping devices are now required to obtain a prescription from a general practitioner and to purchase nicotine vaping liquids from pharmacies.
James noted the impact of previous measures, such as the ban on the importation of disposable vapes earlier in the year, which led to numerous seizures by border and customs officials. These efforts aim to curb the distribution of vapes, particularly to minors, through illegal sales.
“Health Minister Mark Butler should be applauded for enacting these laws in a timely and comprehensive manner, and while there are fears of a black-market developing, these regulations, enforced by the TGA and Australian Border Force, were necessary to end the vaping epidemic among our young people that has developed over several years,” he said.
James called attention to the broader issue of cigarette smoking in Australia.
“As we applaud the action we’ve taken on vaping, it’s time to also address the other nicotine addiction which is killing 20,000 Australians every year. Smoking remains the leading cause of premature death in our country,” he said. “There is no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke, yet we continue to make cigarettes and tobacco freely available for purchase to anyone over 18, albeit at some of the world’s highest prices.”
Drawing inspiration from international and local initiatives, James highlighted the approach taken by the UK and the Tasmanian Government’s Tobacco Action Plan.
“We could follow the lead of the UK which has flagged a plan to phase out smoking by raising the minimum age anyone can buy cigarettes, by one year, every year until smoking is all but eliminated from society,” he said. “I admire the work of another Health Fund, St Lukes, in rallying with state government in Tasmania to provoke change via The Tasmanian Government’s Tobacco Action Plan (2022-2026), which aims to put a formal review in place to end all sales of smoking products in the state.”
