Vape manufacturers have told a senate inquiry that fruit-flavoured prescription-only nicotine vapes should be made available to adults trying to quit smoking, news.com.au is reporting.
Under harsh new rules introduced in March, the importation of unlicensed vapes was banned, virtually shutting down the vape industry in Australia overnight. Now, the government is considering the next round of rules, in which vapes will be only available via prescription as an aid to quit smoking.
Also under consideration is banning flavours being added to vapes. New proposals would only allow vapes to be manufactured in tobacco and menthol flavours.
But vape manufacturer Wilhelm Davis told senators that putting further restrictions on prescription-only vapes would only discourage people from trying to quit smoking cigarettes.
“Most current users of therapeutic vapes now accessing simple fruit flavours will be significantly affected. Simple fruit flavours are not candy flavours. There’s a big difference,” he said.
“Therapeutic vapes already play an important role in transitioning smokers away from cigarettes.
“We continue to recommend Australian regulations to be amended on NVP flavours to include simple fruit flavours, such as mango, blueberry and apple, in addition to menthol and tobacco.”
What do you think? If the vapes are only available via prescription to adults, is there any harm in allowing more pleasant flavours? Or should vaping, like smoking, be completely discouraged?
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