Australia to Ban Import of Disposable E-Cigarettes Starting January 2024

Published: 2023-11-28, 22:29 Source: China News Service

On November 28th local time, Australian Health Minister Mark Butler announced that starting January 2024, Australia will ban the import of disposable e-cigarettes. In March, the ban will extend to all non-therapeutic e-cigarettes to reverse the "troubling" trend of teenage vaping.

In a statement, Butler said that after March 2024, only e-cigarettes for therapeutic purposes will be allowed for import, and they must have approval from the Australian government. The Australian government will allocate AUD 75 million to border security and other departments for the enforcement of new regulations.

According to Reuters, Australia has one of the lowest smoking rates among the OECD nations, but the use of e-cigarettes is growing rapidly, especially among young people. Government data shows that among the 18-24 age group, about one-fifth vape, and among the 14-17 age group, roughly one-seventh vape.

Reports indicate that the Australian government will also legislate domestically to ban the production, advertising, and supply of disposable e-cigarettes next year. Therapeutic e-cigarettes will be restricted in terms of flavors and nicotine content and sold in pharmaceutical packaging. Manufacturers will have a transition period to comply with the new regulations.