Australia Announces New E-Cigarette Regulations, Formal Ban on Disposable Imports Starting Next Janu

On November 28, Australian Health Minister Mark Butler announced a series of regulatory policies regarding e-cigarettes. These include: a ban on disposable e-cigarettes entering Australia starting January 2024; a ban on personal imports of e-cigarettes starting in March…

According to reports from multiple Australian media outlets on November 28, Health Minister Mark Butler announced a series of regulatory policies regarding e-cigarettes. Here is a summary of these policies:

• From January 2024, disposable e-cigarettes will be banned from entering Australia;

• From January 2024, doctors and nurses in Australia will have the authority to prescribe e-cigarettes for patients, who can purchase them at pharmacies. This indicates that Australia is relaxing the prescription authority for e-cigarettes, no longer limited to general practitioners;

• From March 2024, personal imports of e-cigarettes will be banned. This means that Australian consumers will no longer be allowed to purchase e-cigarettes from other countries;

• From March 2024, the import of non-therapeutic open-system e-cigarettes will be banned;

• Tighter regulations regarding flavors, nicotine concentration standards, and packaging will also be enforced, but the government stated that businesses will have a transition period to comply with the new requirements;

• The government will also prohibit the domestic manufacture, advertising, supply, and commercial ownership of non-therapeutic and disposable e-cigarettes.

Butler stated that this move aims to reverse the trend of e-cigarette use among young Australians, but he also acknowledged that the plan is not perfect.

It is understood that since May of this year, Australia has decided to completely ban the sale of disposable e-cigarettes. The only legal way to purchase them is through prescriptions issued by general practitioners, either at pharmacies or overseas websites. Other purchasing methods, such as buying from tobacco shops or convenience stores, are considered illegal.

Previously, it was learned that the process for compliant e-cigarette purchases in Australia involves the “patient” consulting a general practitioner to obtain a prescription. The cost of the prescription is about AUD 70 (approximately CNY 330). Treatment options include 3 months, 9 months, and 12 months, with the specific duration determined by the doctor based on individual circumstances; after obtaining the prescription, the “patient” also needs to contact the pharmacy in advance to reserve e-cigarettes, as most pharmacies do not regularly stock e-cigarette products. However, there are very few e-cigarette brands that can enter the compliant e-cigarette channels (pharmacies) in the country.

Some have stated that the legal e-cigarette business in Australia has almost no market, and prescriptions seem to be merely a formality. It is reported that the compliant e-cigarette market in Australia accounts for less than 5%, while illegal products account for over 95%. According to previous communications with individuals related to the Australian e-cigarette market, there are still a large number of e-cigarette retail stores in Australia, with over 2,000 in Sydney alone.
 

Additionally, based on further understanding, consumers using Australia’s “personal import program” mainly purchase e-cigarettes through online stores in New Zealand. Therefore, after the ban on personal imports in March next year, the New Zealand market is expected to be affected to some extent.