Australia will ban the import of disposable vapes – e-cigarettes that only last a short time – to reduce nicotine addiction among young people. That reported Australian media Monday evening. The country is also set to introduce a law banning vape advertising. The new laws will come into effect in January 2024. Therapeutic vapes remain allowed in the country.
Companies have marketed vapes in recent years with the message: vaping helps you quit smoking. From studies in, among others The Netherlands and in the UK the opposite appears to be happening. Young people who do not smoke start vaping – partly because of the tempting fruit flavors – and then sometimes switch to real cigarettes.
Mark Butler, Australia’s health minister, says vaping has created “a whole new generation of nicotine addicts” in his country. That statement follows a study published this year by the University of Sydney, which found that more than 25 percent of Australian teens aged 14 to 17 had used a vape in the past year. Nine out of ten teens could easily get a vape.
Rules for therapeutic vapes
The latter statistic stood out in Australia, because it has been illegal for individuals there to purchase e-cigarettes without a doctor’s prescription since 2021. Importing vapes for recreational purposes has also not been allowed since. Despite this, Australia’s numbers of addicts to vaping and nicotine in general have continued to rise.
The therapeutic vapes contain cannabis and can help as a medicine against muscle cramps and nausea due to certain diseases. These vapes may only contain a limited nicotine content, may not have tasty flavors and companies may not advertise with them.