Australian government flags vaping crackdown

Canberra: Australia’s Health Minister Mark Butler on Tuesday flagged a government crackdown on the black market vaping industry, revealing that the federal government will bolster the regulatory framework around e-cigarettes.

Under Australian laws, it is illegal to use, sell or buy nicotine e-cigarette products without a prescription from a doctor, reports Xinhua news agency.

Despite the current restrictions, according to The Australian newspaper, about 1.1 million people in the country use vaping products.

“The rate of young Australians aged 18-24 who reported using e-cigarettes nearly doubled, from 2.8 per cent in 2016 to 5.3 per cent in 2019,” the Minister told News Corp Australia.

“Our government is concerned about the increased marketing and use of e-cigarettes, particularly among young people,” Butler said.

State and territory health ministers have called for the federal government’s help in the crackdown on e-cigarettes.

Meanwhile, the tobacco industry has called for e-cigarettes to be legalised and taxed rather than stricter bans.