E-cigarettes in Australasia

Australia: The opposition National Party has proposed lifting the ban on nicotine-containing e-cigarettes, press reports. The Nationals’ larger coalition partners the Liberals have in the past been in favour of the current regime, under which nicotine vapes can only be bought on prescription. Steve Robson, president of the Australian Medical Association, firmly opposed lifting the ban, saying children were already purchasing e-cigs despite age restrictions.

Australia: Queensland state premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced a parliamentary inquiry into vaping to take place next week, media reports. It follows reports that primary school children are becoming addicted to e-cigarettes. Health minister Yvette D’Ath said the state health committee would examine how children are accessing vapes. She also said many vaping products were falsely labelled as nicotine-free. Nicotine vaping products can only be accessed in Australia with a prescription.

New Zealand: As shown in our compliance calendar, tomorrow (15th March) is the last day to submit comments on new proposals to address youth vaping. The proposals seek to tighten retail availability, reduce nicotine levels in disposable e-cigarettes, restrict flavour names, and add packaging requirements.

Australia: The Green Party of New South Wales has put forward a plan to regulate vaping like tobacco products in order “to end the nicotine vape black market and reduce the harms associated with vaping”. Currently, nicotine vaping products can only be accessed in Australia under prescription. However, nicotine-free e-cigarettes are unregulated, although most states limit their sale to minors.

New Zealand: As highlighted in the ECigIntelligence compliance calendar, today (31st January) is the last day for manufacturers and importers of e-cigarettes, including specialist vape retailers, to submit their market data for 2022.

Australia: Public Health Associations in New South Wales (NSW) are urging the next government of the state to protect young people from vaping, press reports. The NSW branch of the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) yesterday highlighted what it considered the five public health issues that need attention, among which was the use of vaping products by young people. Branch president Kate McBride said the consumption of vaping products by young people had doubled in the last two years. While nicotine-containing e-cigarettes can only be acquired through prescription, there is no sales restriction on nicotine-free ones. State elections are due in March.

Australia: The Australian Heart Foundation has called for an import ban on e-cigarettes. In a submission to a public consultation by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the foundation said that e-cigarettes, with or without nicotine, should be declared “prohibited imports”. It also said the TGA should ban all e-liquid flavours other than tobacco, reduce the nicotine concentration, and establish labelling and packaging requirements.