Vapes will become available at Australian pharmacies without a prescription after the Albanese government walked back its world-leading plan to outlaw the commercial sale of e-cigarettes.
Health Minister Mark Butler on Monday struck a deal with the Greens to water down the vape ban for legislation to pass through the Senate to ban retail sales. The tougher original proposal did not have the support of a majority of senators.
Health Minister Mark Butler delivers a press conference on vaping restrictions earlier this year.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Sources familiar with the deal said consumers would still require a doctor’s script to buy vapes when the scheme comes into effect in July. But at a future date, vapes will become available as a behind-the-counter product after a conversation with the pharmacist.
The change is a concession from Butler, who has invested significant political capital in the success of the vape ban. He is set to announce the full details of the changes later on Monday.
Butler previously raised the idea of people buying vapes from a pharmacy without a prescription, but suggested that would be considered if the prescription-only model was not working.
“Health ministers are interested in exploring, for example, whether there is a pharmacist-only pathway to get a vape,” he said in November.
“There’s a range of other things you can get from your pharmacist that are generally behind the counter, they require a conversation with the pharmacist, they don’t require a prescription from a doctor.
Vapes on display at a store in Melbourne in 2023.Credit: Joe Armao
“We haven’t made that decision yet, but I’ve said if [the planned reforms are] not sufficient to ensure that people with a genuine therapeutic need can get access, then we’ll look at other ways.”
The Greens and the Nationals both expressed doubt about Labor’s proposal to ban all retail sales and require a GP prescription to obtain a vape from a pharmacy – a stronger version of the laws first introduced in 2021 by former Coalition health minister Greg Hunt.
The Greens and the two major parties are united in their desire to stop children being able to buy vapes from unlicensed stores.
But Greens health spokesman Jordon Steele-John raised concerns about the difficulty and expense for people who want to quit smoking but require a GP appointment to obtain a script.
Health Department analysis of Butler’s original plan assumed the vaping policy would require almost 1 million GP visits as 450,000 Australians were expected to seek prescriptions for vapes each year.
Steele-John has also expressed doubt about a prohibition model, pointing to the failures of drug prohibition.
Many young Australians vape, turning the prohibition of their sale into a potential political issue.
“No one should be penalised for personal use of vapes. The prohibition of drugs has failed,” Steele-John said in March.
“Many people under 18 are nicotine-dependent. We need to ensure we have the settings right so this group are supported through quitting vaping.
More to come
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2024-06-24 05:48:19Z
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