ACTION ON VAPES
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Health Minister Mark Butler has announced sweeping changes in a bid to stamp out vaping among young people.
* The government will spend $234 million on stronger regulations on e-cigarettes and vapes.
* Non-prescription vapes won't be allowed to be imported and will require pharmaceutical-style packaging.
* All single-use vapes will be banned.
* Changes will also include introducing minimum quality standards, such as restricting what flavours and colours are used, as well as the ingredients in vapes.
* The amount of nicotine concentrations in vapes will also be reduced.
* The health minister says a growing number of young people are vaping, with vapers three times more likely to take up smoking.
* One in six 14- to 17-years have vaped, while one-quarter of 18- to 24-year-olds have used the product.
* Smoking rates among under-25s have risen, the only demographic to report an increase.
* The minister says vapes are being targeted towards young people, with children as young as four having consumed them.
* Mr Butler says vapes being sold as therapeutic products had created loopholes for their sale and a black market.
Australian Associated Press
