AIDA Welcomes Vaping Reform Bill 2024

The Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA) is pleased to see the outcome of the Vaping Reforms Bill 2024 that passed Federal Parliament on Wednesday last week which will now see vaping products only dispensed at pharmacies, without a prescription, to those aged over 18 years. 

This is an important step forward in protecting young people from accessing unregulated vaping products. We know that people who use vapes are more likely to take up cigarette smoking than those people who have never used vapes. This reform is an important step in ensuring that the recent downward trend continues in the percentage of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples taking up smoking.

Last week AIDA signed an open letter in support of the reforms in the Canberra Times, aimed at the Australian Senators about to vote on this Bill. The Bill introduces some important controls outlined below, which came into effect yesterday:

• Banning and restricting the importation, manufacturing, and supply of non-therapeutic vapes to keep them out of reach of children.
• Closing the non-nicotine loophole, simplifying compliance and enforcement both at the border and within every state and territory.
• Supporting adults in quitting smoking by ensuring that vapes from pharmacies from 1^st October are provided only following a consultation with a pharmacist (and only with a GP’s prescription until 1^stOctober).
• Introducing penalties for non-pharmacy retailers/sellers who possess vapes, while ensuring individuals who use vapes are not penalised.
• Establishing quality and product standards for vapes sold in pharmacies including plain packaging, maximum nicotine concentration levels, with flavours restricted to mint/menthol and tobacco.

AIDA will continue to advocate with a range of public health stakeholders addressing this vital public health issue. Ending the retail supply of unregulated, non-therapeutic vapes is an important step in the right direction and supports AIDA’s aim to lead and drive equitable and just health outcomes for all our people’s.