The Australian federal government has announced it will introduce reforms to smoking and vaping laws in an attempt to curb rising numbers of young people becoming addicted to nicotine.
Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler announced numerous reforms on 30 November, including standardizing the size of tobacco packets and products, preventing the use of specific additives including flavours and menthol, limiting the use of appealing names that imply the products are less harmful like ‘light’, health-promoting inserts in packs and pouches and updating advertising regulation to include e-cigarettes.
“Tobacco smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death and disability,” Mr Butler said.
“In my lifetime, as young as I am, in my lifetime smoking has killed more than a million Australians. Every year, tobacco still claims the lives of more than 20,000.”
The Australian government is aiming to achieve a smoking prevalence of less than 10 per cent by 2025 and 5 per cent by 2030.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners President Dr Nicole Higgins said she welcomed the measures because more must be done to deter people, particularly young people, from “taking up a nicotine habit.”
“One of the main concerns held by the college is the appeal of e-cigarettes to young people and the potential for vaping to become a life-long nicotine habit,” she said.
“Read my lips, vaping is not a risk-free, harmless version of smoking cigarettes. E-cigarettes are addictive and harmful products that can even prove fatal if ingested in certain amounts, something many young people are not aware of.”
The government will undertake consultation ahead of further reforms to nicotine laws.
