After announcing new regulations around vaping back in May 2023, Australia's Health Minister Mark Butler has confirmed a new timeline for the government’s crackdown. As of January 2024, single-use vapes will be banned from being imported into Australia – with other measures to follow.
The ban will be introduced in an effort to curb nicotine addiction in children, an issue that Minister Butler has described as "new generation of nicotine dependency". Other regulations set to be implemented in the coming months include additional rules around the flavours and nicotine concentration levels of vapes, as well as their packaging, labelling and distribution.
In May 2023, Australia became the first country in the world in which the sale of recreational vapes was illegal. Despite the ban, vaping levels have remained high – with Australians securing vapes through doctor’s prescriptions and through black market distribution. And although prescription vapes will still be available – with a new approach launching in January 2024 allowing all medical practitioners and nurse practitioners to prescribe therapeutic vapes – the new measures should limit the amount of vapes in circulation.
Other regulations, set to be introduced in March 2024, include a blanket ban on the importation of non-therapeutic vapes and tighter restrictions on the flavours of vapes that health professionals can prescribe.
Evidence that Australians who vape are around three times more likely to take up tobacco smoking has been used to support the government’s position – with smoking still the leading cause of preventable death in Australia.
The prescription of therapeutic vapes to help smokers give up the habit will continue, but the restrictions will be introduced with the aim of stopping the recreational use of vapes in Australia, which Minister Butler has described as “a major public health issue”.