The days of bubble-gum vapes appear to be numbered, after the Federal Government pledged this week to rein in e-cigarettes amid concerns they have become the new tobacco among young people.
Health Minister Mark Butler outlined a crackdown on the sale of illegal vapes at corner stores and newsagencies, arguing the current regulations were ineffectual.
As part of the process, GPs will end up with more power to prescribe the devices for smoking cessation.
The Government will work with states and territories to stamp out the growing black market in illegal vaping, including to:
- stop the import of non-prescription vapes;
- increase the minimum quality standards for vapes including by restricting flavours, colours, and other ingredients;
- require pharmaceutical-like packaging;
- reduce the allowed nicotine concentrations and volumes; and
- ban all single use, disposable vapes.
Mr Butler said that the tobacco industry was trying to create a “new generation of nicotine addicts” through vaping and that he was “determined to stamp out this public health menace”.
It follows an inquiry into vaping reforms led by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, with submissions from health professional bodies, public health associations, individual health professionals and university researchers overwhelmingly supporting tightening border controls.
The Government will allocate $234 million to reduce harm caused by tobacco and vaping products, including to stop the importation of non-prescription vapes.
Role of GPs
Under the changes, GPs will be able to prescribe flavour-free, plain packaged vapes to patients working to quit smoking.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners’ president Dr Nicole Higgins backed the measures.
“We must do much more to limit the number of young people, including children and teenagers, taking up nicotine vaping,” she said.
“The last thing we want is a new generation of nicotine users, and since the brains of younger people are still developing, I’m worried that it will be even harder for them to quit nicotine compared to adults.
“It’s important to make it easier for people to vape with a script from their GP, and we stand ready to work with government on measures to boost the number of GPs who can prescribe nicotine vaping products and help people quit.”
Professor Jonine Jancey from the Curtin School of Population Health said the new laws would be instrumental in tackling the increase in youth vaping across the nation.
“Vaping has become a major health concern, especially among young Australians who are commonly using the products,” she said. “These reforms are a major step forward in reducing the incidence of vaping and limiting the exposure of the vaping industry.”
“Alarming”
The National Asthma Council Australia said there was a clear need to address a rapidly emerging public health threat.
Professor Nick Zwar, chair of the council’s guidelines committee, said the uptake of vaping in younger people, many of whom were non-smokers, had been alarming.
“The proposed requirement of pharmaceutical-like packaging is also welcome as this may contribute to making vaping products less appealing to young people and is consistent with access only via prescription,” he said.
Professor Zwar said nicotine e-cigarettes had a role in supporting smoking cessation for people who have not been successful in quitting using other TGA approved forms of pharmacotherapy.
“While an ARTG listed nicotine vaping product would be ideal, increasing the minimum standards for nicotine vaping products will provide some further assurance to prescribers about quality and safety when using these products to assist smokers to quit,” he said.
Professor Simone Pettigrew, director of health promotion and behaviour change at The George Institute for Global Health said that for too long parents and teachers had been at a loss to know how to control the escalating public health issue.
“It’s high time that the stealth marketing tactics of the tobacco industry are curbed before we allow them to create a new generation of nicotine addicts,” she said.
But Ron Borland, a Professor of Health Behaviour at the University of Melbourne’s School of Psychological Sciences, said he was concerned that the government’s new policy would do more harm than good.
“I think there is a high likelihood it will result in an increase in the rates of tobacco smoking, even though it will achieve its proximal goal of reducing levels of vaping in the community,” he said.
“The government’s approach is an extension of the war on drugs to nicotine, but unlike the war on drugs, they are leaving the most harmful form, smoking, readily available.
“The war on drugs failed. It is likely that this policy will fail also.”
Survey of WA teens
Meanwhile, WA adolescents aged between 12 and 18 are being asked to take part in an anonymous survey about vaping.
Commissioner for Children and Young People Jacqueline McGowan-Jones wants to hear young people’s views on e-cigarettes, including concerns they may have about vaping, and access to e-cigarettes.
“There has been a lot of discussion about vaping, however the voices and perspectives of young people are largely missing from the conversation,” she said.
Commissioner McGowan-Jones said she would report back on findings from the survey later this year.