Claiming teens being encouraged to smoke, Australia to ban vaping

Australia has begun a crackdown on the rise in teenage vaping by announcing a ban on recreational vaping and tightening other aspects of e-cigarette laws.

Australia has begun a crackdown on the rise in teenage vaping by announcing a ban on recreational vaping and tightening other aspects of e-cigarette laws.

The government aims to ban all disposable vapes, which often comes in fruity flavors, ban the import of non-prescription vapes and limit nicotine levels, aiming for the sale of vapes to be confined to helping smokers quit.

"Just like they did with smoking, Big Tobacco has taken another addictive product, wrapped it in shiny packaging and added flavors to create a new generation of nicotine addicts," Health Minister Mark Butler said in a speech at the National Press Club.

Although vaping was seen as a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes, studies have shown the potential of long-term harm from the addictive e-cigarettes.

Under the new rules, vapes will be sold only in pharmacies and require "pharmaceutical-type" packaging. Disposable vapes, popular with young people, will also be banned.

Major vape manufacturer Philip Morris welcomed the crackdown on such shops.

"Nicotine vaping products sold in corner stores have always been illegal," a spokesperson for the company said,

"We have been urging enforcement against these illegal products for several years and hope this will now happen."

Butler said vaping had become a recreational product in Australia, mostly sold to teenagers and young people, who are three times as likely to take up smoking.

"This is a product targeted at our kids, sold alongside lollies and chocolate bars," Butler said. "Vaping has now become the number one behavioral issue in high schools. And it's becoming widespread in primary schools as well."

Doctors backed the vaping crackdown, but urged the government to do more to limit the number of young people taking it up.

"Nicotine vaping products are being sold featuring colorful flavors and we have even seen products featuring the same type of imagery as children's breakfast cereal including cartoon characters," said Nicole Higgins, president of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

The federal budget, due out next week, will include $155 million for measures to protect against the harm caused by tobacco and vaping.