Australian Health Minister Mark Butler has introduced the “2024 Therapeutic Goods and Other Legislation Amendment (E-cigarette Reform) Bill.” This legislative move is aimed at safeguarding young Australians from the potential harms associated with e-cigarettes.
Reported on March 21 by miragenews, the bill specifically targets the prohibition of manufacturing, advertising, supply, and commercial possession of non-therapeutic disposable e-cigarettes. This is a continuation of regulatory changes set earlier this year, which already impose severe restrictions on the import, distribution, and supply of all e-cigarettes, confining them strictly to established pharmaceutical supply chains.
Under the new legislation, once effective, tobacco merchants, e-cigarette shops, and convenience stores will no longer be permitted to supply any type of e-cigarettes. These measures ensure that e-cigarettes can only be accessed through appropriate pharmaceutical avenues to those who need them as quitting aids.
Moreover, the bill proposes a robust framework for the prosecution of illegal activities associated with e-cigarettes. This includes the import, manufacture, supply, advertisement, and commercialization of these products, supported by civil fines. For those convicted under these new laws, penalties have been significantly increased, with maximum sentences reaching up to seven years in prison.
These reforms are part of a broader strategy, aligning with the Australian Tobacco Strategy 2023-2030, aimed at reducing tobacco and related product use among Australians, especially the youth.
