'Cannot wait for perfect': Health bosses push for vaping bill to pass

Health bosses claim more than 1000 teenagers every week will start vaping if federal parliament delays the vaping bill.

Then, from October 1, those same vapes will be available from a pharmacy after talking with a pharmacist.

The revamped laws will pass the Senate with the support of the Greens, who said vaping shouldn’t be criminalised or require a prescription.

The Coalition, which hasn’t revealed how it would vote on the laws, labelled the move a “backdown”.

The group of health advocates say new modelling predicts an additional 1185 teenagers aged 12 to 19 will take up the habit each week the law is delayed.

Lung Foundation Australia CEO Mark Brooke said while the bill is “not perfect”, “we cannot wait for perfect.”

“Whilst there have been significant amendments negotiated, the legislation presented to Parliament today is essential to stopping vapes ending up in the hands of children and young Australians who have never smoked,” he said.

“The status quo free-for-all vape market is a disaster for the health of Australians,”

Young Australians who vape are three times as likely to take up tobacco smoking research has found.

Chair of Cancer Council’s Tobacco Issues Committee Alecia Brooks said there are students as young as twelve vaping in their first year of high school.

“In just the past year, more than 400,000 teenagers reported vaping at least monthly, if not more,” Brooks said.

“Every one of these teenagers is at greater risk of poisoning, acute nicotine toxicity and lung injury every time they breathe in the toxic chemicals in vapes.”

While it has always been illegal for shops to sell any vaping product with nicotine, studies have found many of the devices available do contain the addictive substance, as well as other dangerous chemicals.

Public Health Association of Australia chief executive Terry Slevin said the laws mean colourful vapes which attract teens will be banned – even though it has been illegal for them to be imported since the start of 2024.

“With this new law, retailers deliberately exploiting young Australians for profit, will be forced to close up shop and we’ll start to see vaping rates decline,” Slevin said.

Heath Minister Mark Butler today called vapes an “insidious device” and said around one in six high school students use them.

He urged senators to back the bill, which if passed, will come into force on Monday.