Starting on Friday 1 October a new set of rules will be in effect regarding the use of vaping products.
Starting today, Friday 1 October 2021, anyone wanting to legally use vaping products will need a doctor’s prescription.
The new rules, set by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), aim to prevent children, adolescents and young adults from taking-up nicotine e-cigarettes. At the same time, the new rules seek to provide current smokers with a legal option to access vaping products for smoking cessation.
According to the Cancer Council, the new laws are good news, but work is needed to make them work. “This is a positive step towards protecting young Australians from the harms of e-cigarettes. However, the rules will only be as good as their enforcement,” said Anita Dessaix Chair of Cancer Council’s Public Health Committee.
“It is now 12 months since the Government announced the intent of the rules. Over those 12 months, we have seen increasingly alarming reports of growing numbers of products confiscated in schools, even primary schools, and more and more evidence on the harms of e-cigarettes and the association with smoking uptake,” she added.
GPs to be prepared
According to RACGP, GPs should be prepared for the changes in vaping laws. The key change in this new law is that all nicotine vaping products, such as nicotine e-cigarettes, nicotine pods and liquid nicotine, will be available only by prescription and only as a smoking cessation tool.
As a consequence, it will now be illegal for anyone to buy these vaping products or import them from overseas websites without a doctor’s prescription.
GPs, on the other hand, need to become an ‘Authorised Prescriber’ through the Special Access Scheme or via the Personal Importation Scheme. The process, according to RACGP, is easy, free and should only take a few minutes. Have a look at this short infographic from the TGA about how to become an Authorised Prescriber of vaping products.
“Any GP keen to learn more about these changes can take part in a webinar organised by Quitline and accredited by the RACGP on 5 October, which includes clinical guidance for nicotine vaping products,” RACGP President Dr Karen Price said. “The webinar will describe the process for prescribing nicotine vaping products and outline all the clinical considerations involved. I encourage all GPs to sign up and learn about these changes that are coming into effect,” she added.
A last resort
While the new laws make it legal and feasible for someone to access vaping products, GPs should bear in mind that nicotine vaping should only be used as a last resort. According to Dr Price, patients should first be advised about currently available options to help quit smoking, like nicotine replacement therapy in the form of a patch, spray, gum or lozenge.
“There are also several effective drugs that are available such as varenicline, which blocks the pleasure and reward response to smoking, as well as bupropion hydrochloride, which reduces the urge to smoke,” Dr Price said.
“The laws governing these products are in place for a reason – the long-term health effects of using e-cigarettes or ‘vaping’ are unknown and the evidence base for their efficacy as a smoking cessation tool remains uncertain,” Dr Price said.
To learn more about the new changes, join the webinar, scheduled for Tuesday, 5 October. Registration is available here.