Health Ministers across the country have united to call for federal legislation banning e-cigarette use for anyone without a medical prescription to be fast-tracked. It comes amid warnings the changers will raise 'prohibition concerns'.

Canberra

Health Ministers from various regions are advocating for the expedited adoption of federal laws to restrict e-cigarette usage to individuals with a valid medical prescription. This initiative aims to address ongoing concerns related to the prohibition that such a change in legislation could introduce. The bipartisan call to action seeks to garner support from Parliament, emphasizing the critical opportunity to safeguard the health of Australia's future generations. Notably, recent statistics show that one in six young individuals have experimented with vaping, highlighting the urgency of the situation.

In response to this growing concern, Labor has proposed a draft law that would severely limit access to e-cigarettes by banning their importation, manufacture, supply, and commercial possession, specifically targeting disposable single-use vapes. Under this proposed legislation, e-cigarettes would only be available through community pharmacies to those holding a prescription. This move has stirred a debate among political parties, with both the Coalition and the Greens yet to be convinced of its viability, citing failures of past prohibition models and expressing concerns about failing yet another generation.

The proposed legislation is driven by more than just the potential long-term health implications of vaping. There is also substantial worry regarding the capacity of the health system to handle the consequences of widespread vaping. Advocates for vaping, however, contest these claims, arguing that there is insufficient evidence to suggest significant long-term health impacts. Labor's goal is to have this legislation implemented by the middle of the year, signaling a rigorous timeline for these impactful regulatory changes.



Calls for tough vaping laws to be fast-tracked

Health Ministers unite, hoping their bipartisan spirit spreads to Canberra. I call on all of my parliamentary colleagues to back up the work of health ministers and public health groups. Work to try to stamp out vaping among young people. One in six have recently tried it. And we've got an opportunity now to protect the health of the next generation of Australians. We can't afford to let that opportunity go. To do so, Labor introduced draft legislation last month to ban the importation, manufacture, supply and commercial possession of disposable single-use vapes. If passed, the only way to purchase an e-cigarette would be through your community pharmacy with a prescription. What we say to the Coalition and the Greens, it's time to get on board. That's because the laws won't pass without them, and neither are convinced. A prohibition model hasn't worked, and I fear we'll fail another generation. We'll have a good look at the legislation and have a good conversation with stakeholders. The long-term health impacts of vaping aren't the only thing pushing lawmakers and experts to support these proposed new laws. Concern over the strength of our hospitals is too. Our health system does not have the capacity to deal with the long-term health impacts of vaping. But some vaping advocates disagree. There's very little evidence that we're likely to have significant long-term health impacts from vaping. Labor wants the legislation implemented by the middle of this year. Lucy Gray for 10 News First.

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