Given the Coalition will not oppose the Therapeutic Goods and Other Legislation Amendment (Vaping Reforms) Bill 2024, the proposed amendments to make nicotine-containing vapes available to teenagers without a prescription are no longer required.
The Guild urges the Government to bring forward a vote on the original Bill, which has already passed the House of Representatives, and to dump their Green's led amendments which open up greater access to nicotine containing vapes.
The original Bill now has the necessary political and stakeholder support to pass the Senate.
The TerryWhite Chemmart, Priceline, National Pharmacies, Blooms and Pharmacy 777 pharmacy groups alongside thousands of independent pharmacies have already expressed their opposition to nicotine-containing vapes being available without a prescription.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, representing 33,000 pharmacists and 6000 community pharmacies, are both opposed to the Greens' amendments.
By contrast, the original bill to restrict nicotine-containing vapes as Schedule 4 (Prescription Only) had the support of 63 patient, healthcare and school groups including the Australian Medical Association, the Cancer Council, Lung Foundation Australia, the Public Health Association of Australia, and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. It was also supported by 14 of Australia's pre-eminent public health individuals.
Nicotine containing vapes are not listed as a therapeutic product, this week or after a dirty Senate deal.
If the Parliament engages in genuine consultation a sensible outcome is always possible, as evidenced by the necessary support now available to pass the Therapeutic Goods and Other Legislation Amendment (Vaping Reforms) Bill 2024 in its original form.
All comments are attributable to a spokesperson.
Quotes from the Australian Medical Association supporting original Prescription Only Model:
Dr Danielle McMullen, Vice President, 8 May 2024: "It's why having a prescription model for vapes is an integral part of this Government policy platform to make sure that when appropriate, people who do need to use vapes to stop their nicotine addiction and to come off of vaping or smoking will have an option to do so."
Dr Steve Robson, President, 24 May 2024: "We must keep all non-prescription e-cigarettes out of this country. We have an opportunity to do it, and we need to move to a model where e-cigarettes are used as they were intended, in a small group of people as a transitory thing to help with smoking cessation. There should be no other vape use in this country."
