Yesterday, Cate Faehrmann, MP of the NSW Greens announced the party's plan to legalise nicotine vapes for adults (aged 18+). This places the issue.
Having long supported drug harm reduction, the Greens acknowledge the failure of the Australian prescription-only model and accept that support for tobacco harm reduction will improve public health.
The plan will allow licensed retailers to legally sell nicotine vapes as adult consumer products, providing smokers a substitute for smoking that is 95% less harmful. Youth access and teen initiation will be minimised through strict age verification.
Sensible regulation such as this will help curtail the black market for vapes and reduce social and financial inequalities due to smoking. It will also allow the regulation of vaping products and introduction of a recycling programme for vapes (vapes in landfills lead to toxic waste and environmental damage).
For more information on tobacco harm reduction, please visit https://www.tobaccoharmreduction.net/thr.
Health professionals can visit this page on the website: https://www.tobaccoharmreduction.net/health