“No more gum flavours, no more pink unicorns” – Australia declares war on vapes

Australia is already one of the strictest countries when it comes to smoking and vaping. Now the country is tightening the law even further: numerous vape products will be banned in the future and single-use e-cigarettes will no longer be allowed in the country. Certain flavors and colors will also be banned, Australian Health Minister Mark Butler announced on Tuesday.

One of the thorns in the health minister’s side is the marketing of vape products, which he says is mainly aimed at young people. At this point, this finally ends up here. Therefore, in the future, packaging should no longer be colorful and flashy, but should look “medicinal”. With this, Butler wants to end the tobacco industry, which he railed against in his speech on Tuesday:

In fact, as of October 2021, vapes are only available from pharmacies with a doctor’s prescription. Smokers can get this if they want to quit smoking cigarettes. However, the black market is thriving, which is why nicotine vaporizers are also available in supermarkets and gas stations. This without markings and warnings for minors. According to Butler, the reason for this was the lack of regulations and measures.

Vaping was originally sold to governments as a “therapeutic product” to help long-term smokers quit, Butler said. It was not advertised as a recreational product and certainly not as a product for children. Yes, as Butler acknowledged:

He now wants to close this loophole with the measures. A timetable for the implementation of the new regulations will be announced at a later date. (Sat)