Read articles from Australia

February 19, 2024 by theguardian.com

A vaping lobby group funded by tobacco companies is running ads in Australian newspapers opposing vaping reforms. The campaign, Bust the Black Market, aims to regulate e-cigarettes like tobacco and alcohol. Health experts argue the group is misguiding the public by claiming the reforms will benefit criminals selling unregulated products. The Australian Taxpayers Alliance, behind the ads, has ties to tobacco companies and opposes strict regulation. Health Minister Mark Butler counters these claims, stating the need to prevent youth nicotine addiction. The government's plan includes bans on importation and sales without prescription to combat illegal markets.

February 16, 2024 by filtermag.org

Australia's stringent anti-vaping stance has resulted in a thriving illicit market for vaping products, echoing the failures of drug bans in the past. Over 90% of Australia's 1.7 million adult vapers have turned to the illicit market due to harsh restrictions that require a nicotine prescription to vape legally. The illicit market in Australia is estimated to import 120 million unregulated vapes from China annually, with products sold openly without consumer protections. The profitability of illegal vapes has led to an intensifying turf war among organized trafficking networks, resulting in acts of violence and exploitation of marginalized recruits.

February 14, 2024 by colinmendelsohn.com.au

DURING A WEEK-LONG VISIT TO AUSTRALIA, Action for Smokefree 2025 (ASH) has been engaging with Australian policymakers to develop a best-practice vaping regulatory framework. Smoking and vaping policies were very similar in Australia and New Zealand until 2020 when the four major political parties in New Zealand accepted vaping as an important tool to accelerate the decline in smoking rates. Since 2020, New Zealand has had a regulated vaping market that allowed a wide range of vapes to be sold as adult consumer products.

February 14, 2024 by medicalxpress.com

According to the latest data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) report, younger Australians are experiencing higher levels of psychological distress and loneliness compared to older age groups. The data also reveals an increase in loneliness among young people over time, potentially linked to the use of smartphones and social media. Additionally, the report shows that psychological distress levels decline with age, with the youngest age group (15-24) reporting the highest levels.

February 13, 2024 by unimelb.edu.au

The Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey has found that younger Australians between the ages of 15 and 24 are the most likely to use e-cigarettes and vaping devices. 14.1% of Australians over the age of 15 have tried e-cigarettes or vaping, with young people being the highest demographic. Professor Roger Wilkins, Deputy Director of the Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic & Social Research and HILDA Survey Co-Director, says vaping is “very much a young person phenomenon”. “I think the rise in vaping has been driven by the high price of cigarettes – younger people can’t contemplate spending $AU50 or $AU60 on a packet of cigarettes.

February 13, 2024 by medicalrepublic.com.au

A recent report has revealed concerning trends related to smoking, vaping, substance use, and mental health in Australia. The report, based on data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey, found that tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption are declining, while vaping is on the rise, particularly among teenagers. Males were more likely to use e-cigarettes than females, and residents of New South Wales were the most likely to be e-cigarette users.

February 08, 2024 by health.gov.au

The Albanese Government has implemented world-leading reforms to address the rising concern of vaping among young Australians. Starting with the ban on importing disposable, single-use vapes, further changes will be implemented in March. Restrictions on flavors, reduction in nicotine concentration, and the use of pharmaceutical packaging aim to make vapes less appealing to young people. New laws will make it illegal to produce, advertise, or sell single-use disposable or non-therapeutic vapes nationwide. The goal is to reduce the availability and accessibility of vaping products and ensure that they are only obtainable from pharmacies for therapeutic purposes.

February 08, 2024 by bnnbreaking.com

The Australian Federal Government is deeply concerned about the rising popularity of nicotine pouches, also known as 'snus,' among young people. These pouches, which do not contain tobacco but contain nicotine, carry potential health risks and addiction concerns. Marketing efforts on social media platforms like TikTok, where fitness influencers promote them as a tool to quit vaping, have contributed to their growing popularity among non-smokers and young individuals. To address this, the government has regulated nicotine pouches as prescription medicines starting from October 2021. [...]

February 07, 2024 by theguardian.com

The federal government is “deeply concerned” about nicotine pouches being advertised and supplied in Australia, and has condemned social media marketing aimed at young people. Nicotine pouches resemble snus, a smokeless oral tobacco product popular in Scandinavia, which is inserted between lips and gums. Oral tobacco has been banned in Australia since 1991 but nicotine pouches are promoted as tobacco free, containing nicotine extracted from tobacco or synthetic nicotine. Nicotine pouches have surged in popularity around the world, particularly among young people in the US, in part due to athletes and social media influencers using the products.

February 07, 2024 by adf.org.au

From January 1, 2024, the Australian Government banned the importation of disposable vapes into Australia. This includes vapes with and without nicotine. Disposable vapes are e-cigarette devices that can’t be recharged, or reused. And from March 1, 2024, other requirements will be introduced including:

• a ban on the importation of all vapes (including rechargeable) without an import licence and permit
• specific product requirements for imported vapes, with flavours limited to mint, menthol or tobacco.