Are Vapes Banned in South Australia?

You’ve probably seen plenty of headlines about the potential dangers and widespread misconceptions surrounding vapes. 

So, if you’re in South Australia, you might be wondering whether or not vaping is actually banned where you live.

To clear things up and put those rumours to rest, take note that only non-prescribed nicotine vaping products (NVPs) sold outside of pharmacies are banned across the whole country.

Here’s everything you need to know about the vape ban in South Australia, along with where you can safely and legally access vapes that are prescribed for you.

Chat to a prescriber
  Bulk-billed phone consultations
  TGA-authorised clinicians
  Nicotine vaping scripts available

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The Expanding Vaping Market in Australia

Vapes first hit the market in 2007, but it wasn’t until over a decade later that vaping really started to catch on with the wider public. 

At the time, around 550,000 people—including non-smokers and even children—were using these products.

Fast forward to today, and it’s estimated that 1.7 million Australians now vape. That’s nearly thrice as many in just a few short years. 

This number continues to rise by 30% each year, largely due to the illegal sale of low-quality, disposable nicotine vaping products (NVPs) in tobacconists and convenience stores, where profit seems to come before regulation.

Originally, NVPs were meant to help long-term smokers quit, but a significant number of the millions now vaping have never even smoked a cigarette. 

Even more concerning is the high percentage of vapers who are teens, with some as young as five years old, getting their hands on these illicit products from unscrupulous retailers who put profit above all else.

What Vapes are Being Banned in South Australia?

If you’re looking to quit smoking, legal, doctor-prescribed vapes are still widely available in pharmacies across the country.

The only vapes that are banned are the dodgy, unregulated ones you can find almost anywhere—even in children’s toy shops.

These vapes, often bought wholesale for as little as $1, are marked up by 3,500% and filled with harmful substances like nickel, lead, and even traces of foreign saliva. 

Worse still, they contain dangerously high levels of nicotine—some as much as 357mg per vape.

It’s obvious that sellers of these products are only interested in profit, not public health.

On the other hand, pharmacy-sold NVPs are manufactured in medically-certified facilities, rigorously tested for safety, and prescribed with professional guidance, specifically to help smokers quit.

So, if you’re serious about quitting and want to avoid the dangers of illegal vapes, make sure you’re using professionally prescribed NVPs from a trusted pharmacy.

When are Vapes Being Banned in South Australia? 

As of 1 March 2024, all NVPs sold outside of pharmacies without prescriptions are illegal. 

It might sound restrictive at a glance, but for motivated smokers and the Australian population in general, it’s great news as the regulations have paved the way for clearer and more widespread access to high quality products meant for smoking cessation – ones that are thoroughly regulated, tested and locally insured.

Navigating Prescriptions Amidst a Vape Ban in South Australia

If you’re a motivated smoker or a former illegal NVP user looking to use NVPs for smoking cessation, you have nothing to worry about regarding the vape ban in South Australia. You can still access vapes under a smoking cessation programme. 

Here’s how you can get started.

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 

Australians can look forward to leaving dangerous illegal vapes in the past, and can now receive effective guidance from stop-smoking GPs, who can prescribe pharmacy NVPs if they deem it necessary.

Illegal NVP users also stand to benefit from the regulatory changes – now, they can conveniently buy NVPs sold in pharmacies and use something made with their health in mind. Furthermore, any GP can prescribe NVPs if they find it effective to help you stop craving for a cigarette or illegal vape.

Adapting to the New Vaping Landscape

The best way to adapt to the new vaping market is to think of quitting vapes and nicotine entirely with the help of a GP. Now, both motivated smokers and illegal NVP users can safely quit the habit with the best tools on offer.

For motivated smokers, they receive the added benefit of having any GP prescribe NVPs from pharmacies if suitable, plus, a future of ever-improving smoking cessation products made to medical device standards.

It’s best to keep in mind that pharmacy NVPs are still second-line solutions. NRT comes first – and if that doesn’t help, your GP can assess your quit attempt and consider if an NVP can help you quit for good.

Smokefree Clinic – Your Partner in Quitting Smoking

Are vapes banned in South Australia? No, and if you’re quitting smoking or vaping, you won’t have to worry about anything – tested and medically supported NVPs are now becoming much more available from pharmacies under prescription.

If you’re ready to quit for good, 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, including via the use of pharmacy NVPs.

Click here to book in with a doctor today.

Link Reference:

• https://www.tga.gov.au/news/media-releases/new-regulation-vapes-starting-january-2024
• https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/illicit-use-of-drugs/national-drug-strategy-household-survey-2019/contents/summary
• https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/professional/vaping-numbers-surge-despite-crackdown
• https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-06/current-vaping-and-smoking-in-the-australian-population-aged-14-years-or-older-february-2018-to-march-2023.pdf
• https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/aussie-kindergarteners-caught-in-vaping-trend-principal-claims/news-story/ee3b6b89457c9e6e089b535abe89170b
• https://www.kidspot.com.au/news/melbourne-kids-shop-caught-allegedly-selling-tobacco-products-amongst-toys/news-story/f3b6cec7ac2b3da48c9db66cf9e2feb5
• https://www.bbc.com/news/health-65614078
• https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2023/08/paddy-gower-on-vaping-shocking-facts-uncovered-about-the-known-and-unknown-health-risks-of-e-liquids.html
• https://www.vice.com/en/article/n7zb37/we-got-your-vapes-tested-in-a-lab-heres-what-we-found