From today, new vaping reforms come into force to protect Australian kids from the harms of vaping and nicotine dependence.
Therapeutic vaping products will be behind the pharmacy counter, nicotine concentrations and dispensing quantities will be tightly controlled, and they will have plain pharmaceutical-like packaging. Flavours are restricted to tobacco, menthol and mint.
The days of bubble gum flavoured vapes covered in rainbows and unicorns are over. The cynical marketing to our children is done.
The law will change so people 18 years or older can buy vapes for the purpose of helping to quit smoking or manage nicotine dependence from a participating pharmacy with a nicotine concentration of 20 mg/mL or less without a prescription. However, they must talk with the pharmacist before purchasing.
The peak professional body for pharmacists, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA), has worked with the government to develop updated guidelines, education and training for pharmacists to support the government's tobacco and vaping reforms.
The PSA's updated clinical guidance, Professional practice guidelines for pharmacists: nicotine dependence support (psa.org.au), is published on the PSA's website.
The PSA has delivered a national webinar which over 2,000 pharmacists attended. There will be further face-to-face workshops and online educational products and information for pharmacists to supply therapeutic vaping goods.
Importantly, pharmacists will have automatic insurance coverage when supply vaping products for smoking and nicotine dependence.
Therapeutic vapes will have similar restrictions to other pharmacist-only products like pseudoephedrine, allergy and asthma medications. Pharmacists will be required to sight photo ID for age verification purposes and, crucially, have that important conversation around the health harms of vaping.
The only lawful way to purchase a vape is through a pharmacy.
Anyone seeking help to quit smoking or vaping can call the Quitline on 13 QUIT (13 7848), visit quit.org.au, or download the My QuitBuddy app.
