Are vapes getting banned in Western Australia?

You’ve probably heard quite a lot on the news recently, which can all be a little confusing.

So, are vapes getting banned in Western Australia? The short answer is: no, they aren’t.

The poor quality products imported by criminal gangs for profit are being restricted, but responsible high-quality vapes are actually becoming much more widespread.

Let’s dive into this a bit more below.

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Updates on Vaping Laws in Western Australia

As of 1 March 2024, all vapes sold outside of pharmacies are now considered illegal.

That’s good news for everybody, except for the criminal parties that have been actively targeting the most vulnerable in Australia, such as teenagers and even children as young as five years old. 

There are now legitimate and trusted options sold in community pharmacies – this benefits all motivated smokers and former illegal vape users.

What Vapes are Being Banned in WA?

Let’s look at what vapes are being banned in Western Australia and the entire country.

As mentioned, cheap disposable vapes are imported by criminal gangs (the very same ones who flood the country with drugs) and are sold at an extremely high markup locally. 

Furthermore, they’re extremely dangerous. 

High amounts of nickel and lead and even foreign saliva has been found in these vapes. They also contain very high nicotine content (as high as 357mg in a single vape), even when they’re labelled as ‘nicotine-free’. 

Parties who sell these have no concern with public health – only their personal wealth.

These are also the vapes easily purchased by young children, teens, and non-smokers.

These illegal products are the reason why in just the last few years, the country’s number of vapers has grown from half a million to over 1.7 million, and rising 30% year on year.

Only pharmacy nicotine vaping products (NVPs) from Australian pharmaceutical suppliers are legal to sell and purchase in Western Australia. 

Unlike the profit-focused illegal vapes, these are designed purely for smoking cessation. Pharmacy NVP suppliers from Australia manufacture their products compliant with medical device standards and GMP guidelines. 

These are rigorously tested for inhalation safety by toxicologists, have fully characterised ingredients, and are also locally insured (just like all other medicines). 

The regulations ensure that any NVP sold through a local Western Australia pharmacy is meant for smoking cessation, not recreation.

Consequences of Illegal Vape Sales in WA

Now, if importers and sellers are persistent and continue to participate in the blackmarket import and selling of illegal vapes in WA and the rest of Australia, they’ll be facing a huge $275,000 fine or 5-year imprisonment, or both.

Manufacturing or supplying prohibited therapeutic goods, according to the TGA, will merit an enormous $93,900 penalty.

How Can I Buy Vapes In Western Australia?

The good news is that motivated smokers and illegal vape users will highly benefit from these new regulations. 

Without illegal NVPs and only using responsible products from pharmacies, they can have peace of mind in using NVPs made for smoking cessation to aid them in their quit smoking journey.

Here’s how you can buy vapes today.

Go Through First-Line Solutions First

You need a nicotine prescription before you can purchase NVPs. As a second-line solution, one requirement is that you’ve already tried and failed to quit smoking with a first-line treatment, such as NRT products. 

NRT products (like patches and gums) are the most trusted quitting option available for motivated smokers. They might not imitate cigarettes, but they contain a small dose of nicotine that may be enough to alleviate your withdrawals.

While NRTs can be effective, they don’t work for everyone. If these haven’t done the trick for you, you may now be eligible for a nicotine prescription.

Chat to a GP

As mentioned, NRT products have worked for many successful ex-smokers. But, you might have ingrained behaviours and triggers that only something that mimics a cigarette can successfully address, such as the hand-to-mouth motion, and needing something to use while having a drink with friends. 

If your GP deems it necessary, they can write you a nicotine prescription for NVPs. 

You can chat to your usual GP about this, or book a phone chat with an authorised prescriber of nicotine.

Visit Your Local Pharmacy

Once you have your nicotine prescription, you can pop down to your local pharmacy. Over 2,200 pharmacies across Australia hold these products in-store, but any pharmacy can order these in for you if they don’t currently stock them.

Both your pharmacist and GP can advise you on how best to use the product, such as the initial setup, and the number of puffs to take when you feel withdrawals.

Smokefree Clinic: Always Ready to Help

Amidst the ban of illegal vaping in Australia, we see that motivated smokers and illegal vape users will receive better support and better quality goods by purchasing NVPs from their local pharmacies. 

Furthermore, it helps take away NVPs from parties that shouldn’t have anything to do with them – children, teens and non-smokers.

If you want to stop smoking for good and possibly use NVPs to help you stop smoking, we can help.

Smokefree Clinic gives you access to many medically reviewed and trustworthy resources that can inform and aid you in your path to wellness, so have a look around! 

If you’re ready to get started, Smokefree can connect you to Australian healthcare professionals who excel in helping patients quit smoking for good.