New vape legislation has kicked in, and The News asked for your thoughts.
With many members of the health sector voicing their concern about the increase in vape use, particularly among young people, the Federal Government has cracked down on the devices.
Single-use vapes are now banned from being imported into Australia.
Doctors and nurses will have a new process to prescribe vapes to utilise them for their initial intention: to help long-term cigarette smokers quit.
Vapes have faced criticism for their colourful packaging and flavours, which seem to target young people and children.
The new legislation will tighten restrictions around packaging and flavours.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said like all illegal drugs, some vapes would still get into the country but, hopefully, would be far less accessible to young and impressionable Australians.
It is still legal to vape; these laws are targeted at vape distributors and importers.
The changes come following a 2021 ban on imported nicotine vapes or e-cigarettes without a prescription.
The ban proved ineffective in stopping the soaring vape rates.
Here’s what you had to say.
What you had to say about the changes
Joan Hunter:
As a person that uses neither, and as an asthmatic, I must say, both are toxic, but I prefer people using vapes as it only affects the user, whereas cigarettes are more toxic to bystanders.
But after speaking to a person that uses them, vapes are easy enough to get.
Cheryl Lorraine:
Why would you ask that question as if vapes are not detrimental and addictive?
Jack McCarty:
Won’t do anything, people will get what they want no matter what, if there is a market for it.
Clinton Butler:
Every second shop in Shepparton sells them, it won’t stop (it), just like the illegal smokes sold.
Suey Louy:
Just take them off the shelf if you don't want people to use them.
Anonymous person one:
Why not just jack up the price like cigarettes?
The issue with vapes is they are so unregulated.
By continuing to focus on the importation of vapes you keep them primarily as imported products, so they’re not produced here and neither the government nor the public really know what is in them.
Anonymous person two:
I’ll still be able to get them, I’m confident in that.
Anonymous person three:
There’s a whole generation of teenagers and people in their early 20s that are going to have unfixable health problems by the time they are 50, and we as a country are going to wonder why we didn’t do more sooner.
Anonymous person four:
It just comes down to education and people making the right decisions for them, and parents being more aware what their kids are up to and what they’re smoking.
It’s disgusting that it’s now socially acceptable to see a 14-year-old down the street chuffing a vape.