The Australian government is set to announce a crackdown on illegal vaping as early as next week. The health minister, Mark Butler, will be revealing changes to vaping regulation, including plain packaging and a ban on certain flavors. The government's focus is on imported non-pharmaceutical vapes as there has been a rising concern over their increasing uptake among teenagers.
Substantial Action
According to a report by News.com.au, the Australian government plans to take "substantial action" on non-pharmaceutical vapes, particularly focusing on importation from overseas. Enforcement has been difficult as vapes are imported in small boxes, making them challenging to intercept at the border. There is also a reluctance for state and territories to divert resources to policing the black market.
Health Minister Butler has flagged a need to take action at the border, and for states to take some action around policing and retail arrangements. These issues will be discussed in Butler's speech to the National Press Club on May 2, a week before the federal budget.
Federal Crackdown on Vapes
Health Minister Butler has long been considering a federal crackdown on vapes, particularly those containing nicotine. Vaping products popular among young adults often come in fruit or candy flavors, with brightly colored packaging. Butler is interested in pursuing a plain packaging model, as recommended by a recent review by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
The review called for the government to ban vape flavors, adopt plain packaging, and include warnings of the health dangers. It received about 4,000 submissions from medical bodies, with overwhelming support to beef up regulation on the importation of vape, with a requirement of importers to hold a permit.
The Black Market
Vapes that have nicotine in them are legally only meant to be prescribed by a doctor as a cessation tool. However, there is a thriving black market, with convenience stores selling the products to minors. According to a recent study of 1,006 people aged between 15 and 30 from the George Institute for Global Health, 14% were current vape users, and 33% had vaped in the past.
"The current use prevalence of 14% found in this sample is substantially larger than the 4.5% of 15- to 24-year-olds and 4.8% of 25- to 29-year-olds who reported current e-cigarette use in the 2019 National Drug Study Household Survey," the study found.
Conclusion
The Australian government is expected to announce a crackdown on illegal vaping, including introducing plain packaging and a ban on certain flavors, ahead of the federal budget on May 9. This move comes as concerns rise over the increasing uptake among teenagers. Health Minister Mark Butler has been long considering a federal crackdown on vapes, particularly those containing nicotine. The government's focus is on imported non-pharmaceutical vapes, and there is a need to take action on the border, with states taking some action around policing and retail arrangements.
FAQs
What is the Australian government doing about illegal vaping?
The Australian government is expected to announce a crackdown on illegal vaping, including introducing plain packaging and a ban on certain flavors.Why is there a need to crackdown on vaping in Australia?
There has been a rising concern over the increasing uptake of vaping among teenagers.What is the black market for vapes in Australia?
Vapes that have nicotine in them are legally only meant to be prescribed by a doctor as a cessation tool. However, there is a thriving black market, with convenience stores selling the products to minors.What is the Australian government's focus on vaping regulation?
The government's focus is on imported non-pharmaceutical vapes, particularly those with flavors popular among young adults, such as fruit or candy flavors, with brightly colored packaging.What steps is the Australian government taking to address vaping regulation?
The Australian government plans to take "substantial action" on non-pharmaceutical vapes, particularly focusing on importation from overseas. This will include introducing plain packaging and a ban on certain flavors, as well as beefing up regulation on the importation of vapes, with a requirement of importers to hold a permit.