Australia Withdraws Vaping Import Ban After Widespread Opposition

If Australian vaping users are celebrating excessively today, please forgive them.

After all, a ban on nicotine imports set to take effect on July 1 was suddenly withdrawn by the Australian Department of Health under Greg Hunt, postponing it until January 1, 2021.

This ban was announced on June 20, extending the ban on importing nicotine-containing e-cigarettes by one year, effective from July 1.

The ban indicates that starting July 1, the import of nicotine-containing e-liquids will be prohibited, with violators facing fines of $220,000.

However, vaping users can still obtain nicotine e-liquids through a doctor's prescription.

Sadly, local media reports that very few Australian doctors are willing to write nicotine prescriptions under current laws, and even fewer are willing given the complexity and time-consuming requirements of the new plan.

After the ban was announced, the Australian Health Minister felt the anger and protests from local vaping users.

Angry opponents took to social media and called and wrote to local officials to complain.

Meanwhile, a petition against the ban created by two members of parliament received over 52,000 signatures in less than 24 hours.

This grassroots protest further troubled the Health Minister, as he faced increasing opposition from his own colleagues, including members of his own party.

On Thursday, 28 members of the ruling coalition signed a letter opposing the nicotine import ban.

Senators Matthew Canavan and George Christensen publicly opposed Health Minister Greg Hunt and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for attacking 500,000 Australian vaping users.

They launched a petition to overturn the ban on nicotine e-liquid imports, advocating for its legalization and regulation instead.

Note this phrase: legalization and regulation.

The 28 members of parliament warned that the cumbersome regulatory requirements would effectively prohibit people from purchasing vaping liquids and push them back to smoking.

They argued that the rapid implementation of import restrictions was too hasty and completely impractical.

Members of parliament stated that considering this, they kindly urged the government to repeal the regulations establishing a new regulatory framework and allow existing plans to continue at least until the end of this year, while further consultations could be held on the proposed changes.

They politely told the Health Minister:

We understand that you hold a different view on the relative risks of establishing a regulated vaping market in Australia. We respect your opinion.

Although we disagree on this issue, we believe the proposed regulatory changes are too rushed and could provoke widespread community backlash and harmful health consequences.

One individual noted that while such a large-scale backlash against the Health Minister had never occurred, these members of parliament were not alone. All OECD countries except Turkey have legalized vaping. The UK has even begun opening vape shops in hospitals to help smokers try to quit.

Reactions After the Ban Announcement:

1. Protests from Civil Organizations: Deprivation of Rights

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) protested against Australia's ban on importing nicotine liquids, stating that it would deprive millions of Australian smokers and current smokers of access to better alternatives.

CAPHRA stated that using e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and other electronic nicotine delivery systems is considered part of a public health strategy aimed at providing alternative methods to reduce smoking-related risks.

The ban also drew protests from the Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association (ATHRA), the Progressive Public Health Alliance (PPHA), Aotearoa Vape Community Advocates (AVCA), and Legalize Australia (LVA).

2. New Zealand Vaping Organizations: Learn from New Zealand

The Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocates (AVCA) in New Zealand expressed strong support for Australian vaping users and opposed the ban on importing nicotine e-cigarette products for personal use without a prescription into Australia.

AVCA stated that given the substantial evidence demonstrating the lower harm of electronic vaping products, the only logical approach for Australia is to legislate these products as consumer goods with all relevant protections, as New Zealand is currently doing. The latest regulations in Australia are absolutely terrible.

3. Public Policy Experts: Better Policies Exist

Professor Wayne Hall, a public policy expert at the University of Queensland, told the Australian Science Media Centre that this would drive an emerging black market.

Professor Hall stated that the proposed policy is a recipe for expanding the illegal vaping market.

He suggested that a better policy would be to allow e-cigarettes that meet consumer safety standards to be sold as consumer goods to adults. These products could be sold through limited outlets inaccessible to young people, such as tobacco shops or adult stores, and these outlets could be closely monitored.

4. Surge in New Zealand Vaping Sales

After the Australian government announced the ban on importing most vaping products, users have started stockpiling e-cigarettes.

Since the announcement, New Zealand vaping retailer Shosha has recorded a 130% surge in sales from Australia. Foot traffic at Shosha has also increased by 44% compared to the same period last year.

5. Local Vaping Industry Hit Hard

Jay Karanough, the owner of a vape shop, stated that he would lay off all 10 employees. Last year, he spent thousands of dollars establishing an import business in New Zealand.

He said there was no consultation or warning.

Chris Monchgesang, COO of vape distributor Vape Traders, stated that the new regulations are disastrous.

Savvas Dimitriou, a board member of the vaping retailer group ARVIA, stated that the outcome is devastating.

He said that unless we can fight in court and change minds, this will be the long-term end of the industry.

6. Some Australian Appliance Dealers Have Sold Out of Refrigerators

Many users, in addition to ordering e-cigarettes from neighboring New Zealand, have also cleared out some local users' refrigerators.

In the week since the July 1 ban was announced, panicked users have tried to stockpile nicotine and ordered large quantities from dealers in other countries.

Meanwhile, some Australian appliance dealers have sold out of refrigerators.

Buying e-liquid also requires buying a refrigerator for storage.

Health Minister Explains Withdrawal Reason: Some Use E-Cigarettes to Quit Smoking

In a statement withdrawing the ban, the Health Minister said that due to Australian medical experts' concerns about health risks, all states and territories have banned the sale of nicotine vaping products, including strong evidence that introducing non-smokers to nicotine addiction through initial vaping is a concern.

He stated that the ban was a response to medical advice, ensuring that nicotine-based e-cigarettes can only be imported based on a doctor's prescription.

However, he also stated that another group uses these e-cigarettes with nicotine to quit smoking.

The statement said:

To help this group continue to overcome this addiction, we will provide more time to implement this change by establishing a simplified process for patients to obtain prescriptions through their general practitioners. This will allow patients time to talk with their general practitioners about the best methods to quit smoking, such as using other products, including patches or sprays, and if still needed, they will be able to obtain prescriptions.

Therefore, the implementation of the ban will be extended by six months to January 1, 2021.

Reactions After the Ban Withdrawal:

1. MPs: We Have Six Months to Establish a System

Liberal MP James Paterson told The Guardian on Friday that the six months gives us time to establish a system to ensure that anyone who needs to use these safer alternatives can access them.

Although the ban has not been completely lifted, the six-month period allows for more reasonable discussions.

2. Vaping Groups and Advocates Welcome the Delay

Representatives of the Australian organization advocating for the legalization of vaping celebrated this decision today on Facebook with Liberal Senator Holly Hughes, but stated that the sudden decision to implement the ban could prompt people to use e-cigarettes instead of smoking.

Emilie Dye, a spokesperson for Vaping Australia, stated that federal decision-makers heard the voices of vaping users, leading the Health Minister to postpone this deadly policy. We now have the opportunity to advocate for the legalization and regulation of nicotine vaping in Australia.

Australia Is Not Alone; Hong Kong Also Withdraws E-Cigarette Ban Bill

Currently, among major countries, only Australia and India completely prohibit the sale of nicotine vaping products. Most countries and regions regulate the sale and manufacture of e-cigarettes, and the UK even encourages smokers to use e-cigarettes.

A recent piece of news is also worth noting.

On June 11, the Hong Kong Legislative Council announced the abandonment of plans to ban the use of e-cigarettes, at least for now. Since the Chief Executive of Hong Kong made a speech 19 months ago, advocates for e-cigarettes and harm reduction have been fighting against the proposed ban.

The Legislative Council's bill committee ultimately ended discussions on the bill to ban e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.

According to the Manila Standard, the committee has been studying the bill since March 2019, holding six meetings and three public hearings.

Some legislative council members strongly opposed the ban, arguing that denying smokers access to lower-risk nicotine products is unjust.

Ultimately, the discussion of the bill was withdrawn, but Hong Kong stated that it would restart plans to ban the sale of e-cigarettes in Hong Kong after the Legislative Council elections in September.

WHO: E-Cigarettes Can Improve Public Health Under Reasonable Regulation

On the eve of World No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a report on e-cigarettes, indicating that for adult smokers, switching to e-cigarettes can effectively reduce health risks. At the same time, regulatory authorities in various countries should focus on preventing youth from using e-cigarettes. It is recommended that regulators fully consider the interests of all parties and find a regulatory balance.

The report concludes that WHO, NASEM, and CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) have all recognized the potential of e-cigarettes to improve public health environments.

The key is the government's reasonable regulation of e-cigarettes. The goal is to maximize the reduction of negative effects caused by the tobacco epidemic while continuously bringing positive effects to public health. At the same time, it is essential to prevent non-smokers, especially young people, from accessing nicotine and fully consider the interests of smokers to find a regulatory balance.

The report also specifically points out that under any circumstances, if the government implements strong tobacco control policies to reduce or even completely block the opportunity for e-cigarette users to switch to cigarettes, then the government's long-term vision for tobacco control will also benefit.