Australia’s new vaping laws explained: Where will vapes be sold and when will the changes come into effect? | vape

The Albanian government has been pushing for world-first reforms that would have meant vaporizers would only be available in pharmacies with a prescription from a GP or nurse, a move backed by more than 50 public health organisations, leading doctor groups level and groups from all over the world. social work and education.

But on Monday, Health Minister Mark Butler announced a deal with the Greens that represented a significant watering down of the proposed new rules, scrapping the prescription model.

So what happened to the legislation and what does it mean for vapers?

How will vaporizers be sold under the new agreement?

Vaporizers will continue to be legally available in adult pharmacies. But no prescription is required.

Other retailers, such as tobacco shops or gas stations, will still not be able to sell vaporizers legally.

To obtain vaporizers from a pharmacist starting in October, people will need to present identification indicating they are 18 or older, although data on vaporizer purchases will not be recorded. Details are lacking on how pharmacists will assess whether adults who request vaporizers should receive them.

But pharmacists will need to advise people they approve to vape, and this cannot be delegated to a pharmacist assistant. It is unclear what this advice will entail.

When do the changes take effect?

If the amended reforms are passed, starting July 1 it will remain illegal for any retailer to sell vaporizers or related products, regardless of nicotine content.

But because pharmacy-related changes came at the last minute, pharmacists are not yet prepared to offer vaporizers outside of the expected prescription model.

Therefore, from July 1, the prescription-only model will continue to apply and then, from October 1, pharmacists will have to move to the over-the-counter advice model.

Will teenagers be able to legally buy vaporizers?

No, unless they have a prescription. People under 18 will still need to get a prescription for therapeutic vaporizers if their doctor deems it clinically appropriate to help them quit smoking tobacco.

Will there be criminal penalties for vaping?

The amended legislation will make it explicit that possession of personal use quantities of any form of vaporizer will not be subject to criminal charges. A personal amount has been set at nine vaporizers, of any type, regardless of their origin. There will be an eight-month amnesty period for personal possession.

Retailers and those who illegally import vaporizers for sale will continue to face heavy fines of up to $2.2 million and up to seven years in prison under the original legislation.

What will the products be like?

The display of vaporizers sold in pharmacies will not be allowed. They will come in plain medical packaging and will be regulated to ensure maximum nicotine strength levels are met. They will only be available in mint, menthol and tobacco flavors.

What do we still need details about?

Despite claims that no data will be recorded for those requesting vaporizers from pharmacists, any medication supplied exclusively by pharmacists without a prescription generally requires some form of data recording in case of adverse effects.

There are also questions about how the success of the plan will be evaluated if basic data is not recorded.

There are still big questions about how quickly and effectively the ban on the sale of vaporizers at other retailers will be enforced and how effective governments will be at preventing the sale of vaporizers on the black market.

And since pharmacists have said they don’t support the amendments, we’ll have to see how willing they are to sell vaporizers without a prescription in October.

What reforms are already underway?

Starting in January, the import of disposable vaporizers was banned. Since then, more than 2.5 million e-cigarettes have been seized.

From March 1, new regulations came into effect, including a ban on the importation of all vaporizers without a license and permit, the closure of the personal importation scheme for vaporizers, and the strengthening of quality and safety standards for therapeutic vaporizers. .