A slow-motion collapse, not world-leading vaping policy

Vapes are set to become available over the counter in pharmacies after the government agreed to amend its vaping legislation to secure the support of the Greens. Under the new changes, vapes will not be a prescription-only medication and will instead be regulated as a schedule-three pharmacist-only medication, and be subject to plain packaging rules.

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia has opposed the policy and announced that their pharmacies will not participate in the new vaping policy.

Professor Brian Oliver, Respiratory Molecular Pathogenesis Group at the University of Technology Sydney and the Woolcock Institute, emphasised “I can only view these proposed changes as an illogical step backwards. The lack of a prescription now puts the responsibility on a pharmacist to decide who should be able to be dispensed a vape. Do pharmacists want this responsibility? Are they equipped to deal with the backlash when they say no? Who pays for the pharmacist’s time?”

Nicola Rahman, PhD Researcher at Griffith University, said “Nicotine vape products are currently an unapproved medicine, and the suggested removal of prescription requirement is asking pharmacists to sell a product not yet approved for smoking or vaping cessation purposes, with mixed evidence of its success for this purpose.

“In contrast, current alternative nicotine replacement therapies have undergone rigorous scientific safety trials for this purpose. Placing nicotine vape products on the shelves alongside cold and flu remedies is like placing cigarettes next to paracetamol, making access to highly addictive nicotine products easy.”

Associate Professor Becky Freeman, School of Public Health, Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, stated “While it is disappointing that the amended law will now allow vapes to be available as pharmacy-only medicines, instead of requiring users to have a prescription, this legislation remains a world-first approach in preventing easy access to vapes. Monitoring and enforcement will be crucial to ensuring the law prevents retailers from illegally selling vapes.

Dr Alex Wodak AM, Emeritus Consultant in the Alcohol and Drug Service at St Vincent’s Hospital, Board Director of the Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association, stated “The developments represent continuing slow-motion vaping policy collapse, not ‘world-leading policy’ as Minister Butler claims.” 

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