Tasmania May Become First Australian State to Ban Non-Prescription E-Cigarettes

Key points:

1. Tasmania could become the first Australian state to ban over-the-counter sales of e-cigarettes and require a prescription under proposed legislation.

2. The new bill mandates that Tasmanians aged 18 and over must obtain a valid prescription to purchase e-cigarettes, vape liquids, and vaping devices from pharmacies.

3. The state’s Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing said the measure aims to curb youth vaping and protect the health of future generations.

2Firsts, reporting from Shenzhen - Tasmania could become the first state in Australia to completely ban the sale of non-prescription e-cigarettes and instead adopt a prescription sales model, according to the Tasmanian government's official website.

On the 13th, the state preliminarily passed the Public Health Amendment (Vaping) Bill 2024 in the Legislative Council, allowing only Tasmanians over the age of 18 to purchase e-cigarette products from pharmacies with a valid prescription. 

This surpasses federal regulations and laws in other states, where adults can still purchase e-cigarettes from pharmacies without a doctor's approval.

The state Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Roger Jaensch, stated that:

"The vaping Bill is designed to curb the rising tide of youth vaping, safeguarding the health of future generations."

"In October last year, the national laws about the sale of e-cigarette products changed, meaning in some states adults can buy certain e-cigarette products over the counter in pharmacies without a prescription."

"Tasmania has retained the requirement that e-cigarettes can only legally be accessed through a pharmacy and that adults must have a doctor’s prescription to access e-cigarettes, e-liquid and vaping devices."

"I am pleased the vaping Bill has now passed through both houses of the Tasmania Parliament so we can continue working towards all actions possible to protect our community from the harms of vaping."