This year, Australia has implemented three waves of reforms targeting e-cigarettes.
The first wave was on January 1st of this year, when Health Minister Butler proposed an import control measure that prohibited the import of any disposable e-cigarettes into Australia, and provided significant additional resources to border forces and the Therapeutic Supplies Administration to enforce the ban.
The second wave of reform was in March, which stipulated that the sale and supply of non therapeutic electronic cigarettes would be more widely banned. The TGA (Therapeutic Products Administration) has issued very clear standards that specify the types of e-cigarettes that can be sold as therapeutic products in Australia, as well as the prescribed levels of nicotine and other chemicals, designed in drug packaging to limit the tobacco, mint, or menthol flavors.
The third wave of reforms will be submitted to the Senate for review this week, and the bill has been passed in the House of Representatives. If the Senate also passes, the sale and supply of e-cigarettes outside pharmacies will be banned from next Monday.
Minister of Health Butler stated that the bill has received support from all health ministers across the country, whether in jurisdictions controlled by the Liberal Party or the Labour Party. The bill has received widespread support in the field of public health and he is determined to pass it this week.
Butler is determined to eliminate the entertainment e-cigarette market and return e-cigarettes to their original intention of being a therapeutic product. Starting from July 1st, only therapeutic e-cigarettes can be sold and can only be sold in pharmacies. Starting from October 1st, legal electronic cigarettes that meet TGA standards can not only be purchased from pharmacies through doctor prescriptions, but can also be purchased as so-called "Appendix 3" drugs without a prescription.
It is revealed that when legislation is submitted to the Senate this week, the government will propose the aforementioned amendments.
