The Federal Government is to make smoking and vaping less affordable and harder to access with a range of measures funded in the 2023–24 Budget.
Announcing the move, Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler said $737 million would be allocated to introduce stronger legislation, enforcement, education and support to protect Australians against the harm caused by tobacco and vaping products.
Mr Butler said the measures were in line with the Department of Health and Aged Care’s recently released National Tobacco Strategy 2023-2030.
He said the Strategy aimed to reduce daily smoking prevalence to below 10 per cent by 2025 and to five per cent or less by 2030 and prioritised tackling smoking in First Nations communities.
“Following public consultation led by the Therapeutic Goods Administration in December 2022, the Government is proposing stronger regulation and enforcement of all e-cigarettes, including new controls on their importation, contents and packaging,” Mr Butler said.
“Government will work with States and Territories to stamp out the growing black market in illegal vaping.”
He said this would include stopping the import of non-prescription vapes; increasing the minimum quality standards for vapes (including by restricting flavours, colours, and other ingredients); requiring pharmaceutical-like packaging; reducing the allowed nicotine concentrations and volumes; and banning all single use, disposable vapes.
Mr Butler said the Federal Government would also work with States and Territories to shut down the sale of vapes in retail settings, while also making it easier to get a prescription for legitimate therapeutic use.
“The Budget will include $63m for a public health information campaign to discourage Australians from taking up vaping and smoking and encourage more people to quit,” the Minister said.
“There will be $30m invested in support programs to help Australians quit, including through enhanced nicotine cessation education and training among health practitioners,” he said.
“As Governments at all levels work to stamp out the growing black market in illegal vaping products, measures will also be needed to prevent young people from trading their vapes for cigarettes.”
Mr Butler said the tax on tobacco would be increased by five per cent per year for three years in addition to normal indexation to reduce the affordability of tobacco, in line with the priorities of the Strategy.
The Department’s 42-page Strategy can be accessed at this PS News link.
