Key takeaways
- March 2024: Ban of non-prescribed NVPs started in Queensland
- Low quality NVPs sold outside pharmacies now illegal
- Legal NVPs available from 2,200 pharmacies nationwide
- Prescription required for buying pharmacy NVPs
- New NVP regulations focus on smoking cessation
You’ve likely heard that Queensland has cracked down on non-therapeutic nicotine vaping products (NVPs) – the unregulated ones sold by criminal parties in nearly every convenience store and tobacconist.
So, are vapes getting banned in Queensland? No, they aren’t.
Let’s delve into this below.
An Expanding, Illegal Vape Market
Let’s jump back into a bit of history.
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Vaping arrived in Australia around 2007 where it found a very small, niche market. It wasn’t for around a decade that it hit any sort of mainstream use, at which point, around 550,000 Australians used them as part of their regular routine.
Fast forward just a few short years, and the number has nearly tripled with over 1.7 million Australians confirmed to be using vaping products. This number is now increasing by 30% yearly due to the explosion of low-quality and profit-focused disposable vapes sold in convenience stores, tobacconists, and even children’s toy stores.
You’ve read it right – the criminals importing and selling these low-quality vapes have been actively targeting teenagers and even children as young as five years old.
Their focus was never on helping smokers. It was always about maximizing profits, at any cost.
What Vapes are Being Banned in Queensland?
Dangerous vapes sold by criminal groups and distributed to channels outside pharmacies are illegal vapes. These are the only ones being targeted under the new regulations in Queensland, and the country as a whole.
These products are commonly purchased wholesale for as little as $1 and sold at a 3,500% markup for the highest profit possible. The result of this is they have been found to contain heavy metals like nickel and lead, and even foreign saliva.
On the other hand, NVPs from pharmacies are manufactured in medically- and GMP-certified facilities, are tested for inhalation safety by expert toxicologists, and are locally insured just like other medicines.
While they may look somewhat similar to the illegal vapes, that’s truly where the similarities end.
To be clear, the Government’s crackdown does not include pharmacy-available NVPs – and these are becoming far more medically accepted and widespread.
When are Vapes Being Banned in Queensland?
As 1 March 2024 has now passed, any NVP purchased without a prescription outside a pharmacy is an illegal product.
This is only a huge problem for the criminal parties who have been profiting off young children, teenagers, and non-smokers. For everyone else, this is actually great news – motivated smokers and illegal NVP users trying to quit now not only have trust in the products they’re using, but also have widespread access to these products in pharmacies all over Queensland.
Where Do I Buy Vapes in Queensland?
If you’re a motivated smoker or former illegal NVP user looking to use NVPs to quit, you now have access to medically supported and responsible products from pharmacies.
Here’s how to go about it.
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.
The Impact of Regulatory Changes to Vapers
Motivated smokers and illegal vape users have nothing to worry about with the new vaping regulations – they can still access responsible NVPs from pharmacies, and all GPs are now eligible to prescribe NVPs.
The regulatory changes will only impact criminal importers and sellers of illegal vapes, taking these dangerous products off the shelves and out of reach of children, teens, and non-smokers.
The bottom line is, responsible NVPs are not only readily available to those who need it, but are becoming far more accepted and widespread.
Adapting to the New Vaping Landscape
People who need pharmacy NVPs now have peace of mind that the products they’re purchasing are medically supported, responsibly made, and are thoroughly tested to ensure they have a trusted tool to help them move away from cigarettes or illegal vapes for good.
For illegal NVP users, it’s also a good thing – you can easily adapt to the new vaping landscape by going through a smoking cessation programme and NRT. If your GP finds NRTs to not work for you, they can prescribe NVPs you can buy from pharmacies.
Remember that NVPs are only second-line solutions – if a first-line treatment such as NRT (patches and gums) hasn’t quite done the trick, your GP may find pharmacy NVPs a suitable intervention.
Smokefree Clinic – Your Partner in Quitting Smoking
Now that we’ve answered ‘are vapes getting banned in Queensland,’ it’s time to get you on the right path away from cigarettes and illegal vapes.
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, including via the use of pharmacy NVPs.
Click here to book in with a doctor today.