Australia’s third set of anti-vaping regulations is up for a vote this month, with many politicians expressing preference for other approaches than an outright ban. Photo credit: Vapes.com, CC2.0.
Australia’s Labor government has rejected calls to lift its strict ban on recreational vaping, despite industry projections of a significant tax windfall if the country moved towards regulation, reports News.com.au.
Parliament is set to vote on new vaping restrictions in June. However, the government's third set of anti-vaping laws faces opposition from the Nationals, who advocate for taxing vaping products rather than banning them without a prescription.
Industry projections suggest that legalizing vapes and imposing an excise tax could generate an additional A$600 million in GST for states like Victoria and New South Wales over the next four years.
Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce argued that regulating vaping products like cigarettes and alcohol would reduce black market revenue. However, he clarified that he does not support the regulation of other illicit substances, such as cannabis.
“People are making money out of [vapes] – the mafia predominantly, and if you want to fix that you have to bring it into regulated form,” he said. “The issue we have with vapes is … I don’t vape, they’re not good for you, and they will kill you, but so do cigarettes and they’re legal.”
Environment minister Tanya Plibersek said the government will not reconsider its plans, insisting that a national ban is necessary to safeguard younger generations from the health effects of e-cigarettes.
Labor's third set of anti-vaping regulations aims to ban the domestic manufacture, advertisement, supply, and commercial possession of non-therapeutic vapes. Earlier legislation, implemented in January, prohibited the importation of vapes and intensified enforcement efforts.
The Coalition and the Greens have yet to adopt a definitive position on the new legislation. However, Greens leader Adam Bandt has expressed a preference for a harm-minimization approach over outright prohibition.