Are Vapes Banned in Tasmania?

The news has probably reached you that Tasmania – and the entire country for that matter –  has started to crack down on all non-therapeutic nicotine vaping products (NVPs). 

That is, any non-prescribed vaping product sold outside of a pharmacy, such as those you’ve likely seen in tobacconists and corner stores.

So, are vapes banned in Tasmania? Can you still access them? Here’s everything you need to know.

The Rise of Vaping in Australia

Vaping has been in Australia in some form since as early as 2007, but it didn’t hit any level of ‘mass appeal’ until more than 10 years later, when it was reported that around 550,000 Australians used these products regularly.

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In the few short years that followed, up until today, this number has exploded to around 1.7 million Australians using vaping products – rising by 30% year on year. This was caused primarily by the introduction of very low quality, unregulated disposable products being sold illegally through nearly every convenience store and tobacconist in the country.

Worryingly, many of these new vapers were people who had never smoked a cigarette, and due to irresponsible retailing practices and a lack of concern about age verification, teenagers and even children as young as five years old had no trouble getting their hands on vapes. 

These illegal products were creating a whole new generation of nicotine addiction, rather than helping existing adult smokers quit the habit.

What Vapes are Being Banned in Tasmania?

To clear things up, let’s differentiate between legal and illegal NVPs as of 2024.

A legal NVP is one that you can buy from a pharmacy with a prescription. These NVPs are designed for smoking cessation, are locally insured, and can only be purchased with a prescription from a doctor. They are manufactured to a very high standard, and importantly, are rigorously tested for inhalation safety.

On the other hand, illegal NVPs are seemingly sold everywhere but a pharmacy – convenience stores, tobacconists, and even in children’s toy stores. 

Sold by criminal groups with a focus on quantity over quality, they have been found to contain heavy metals such as nickel and lead and have even been found to contain traces of human saliva – these are not things anyone wants to inhale into their lungs up to 200 times a day.

Yet, these are the vapes widely purchased by children, teens, and non-smokers.

NVPs or e-cigarettes/vapes, as they’re widely known, were meant to help people stop smoking, not get Australia’s young children and teenagers into a lifelong addiction.

When are Vapes Being Banned in Tasmania? 

By 1 March 2024, any NVP you purchase outside of a pharmacy without a prescription is illegal. 

While this is bad news for the thousands of retailers who have been cashing in on addicting Australia’s most vulnerable, it is good news for Australian people, as there is now a legitimate path to accessing highly regulated, tested and locally insured products that can help you quit smoking for good.

Accessing NVPs With a Vape Ban in Tasmania

If you’re a motivated smoker (or vaper) looking to use NVPs responsibly to quit smoking, you have nothing to worry about regarding the vape ban in Tasmania. You can still access NVPs under a prescription, and these are available right now in most major pharmacies. 

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, inhale/exhale, throat hit, 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, typically within 24 hours, 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 

You have nothing to worry about if you’re looking to quit smoking (or even illegal vaping) with pharmacy NVPs – with a GP’s prescription, you can still purchase pharmacy NVPs without issues.

The new regulatory changes may encourage many users of illegal NVPs to seek a GP’s support, and move to something that is made with their health in mind. The new regulations make NVPs from pharmacies much more accessible to those who need them, as all GPs can now prescribe NVPs.

Adapting to the New Vaping Landscape

The vaping landscape has arguably changed in favour of helping people to access responsible NVPs – not just motivated smokers, but now the many Australians struggling with addiction to illegal vapes. 

With pharmacy NVPs, which are medically supported and solely made for smoking cessation, motivated smokers and vapers have a device designed for quitting.

However, pharmacy NVPs are still second-line solutions – you’ll need to go through a smoking cessation programme and NRT. Only when your GP has assessed whether your quit attempt with NRT has been ineffective, may they then consider prescribing you an NVP.

Smokefree Clinic – Your Partner in Quitting Smoking

So, are vapes getting banned in Tasmania? Yes for the illegal kind, but the responsible pharmacy options are becoming far more widespread and available to those genuinely motivated to quit. 

If you’re looking to stop smoking for good, you can always count on us at Smokefree Clinic to provide you with all the information you need. 

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 friendly 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.