THE Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has refuted concerns that low pharmacy vaping uptake is driving an already-thriving black market.

New data released by the TGA shows that around 40,000 non-prescription vapes were sold by pharmacists in the first seven months since the vaping reforms took effect (PD 01 Oct 2024).

This is a low figure compared to the more than nine million illegal vapes seized since Jan 2024, fuelling concerns that the move to restrict vape purchases to pharmacies has not been effective.

The TGA has argued the opposite, however, with a spokesperson stating: “The government’s world-leading reforms to vaping products were designed to make illicit vapes easier to detect and to reduce opportunities for unlawful trade in these products.

“Strengthening the regulation of all e-cigarettes through enhanced border controls, banning all single-use vaping devices, ending the sale of vapes outside of pharmacies, and heightening advertising restrictions on vapes has made it easier to identify and disrupt the illicit supply of vapes and take enforcement action.”

Health Minister Mark Butler has also backed the law changes, as usage rates among all age groups in Australia has reached an all-time low, according to smoking prevalence data.

“We’re taking on big tobacco on the one hand and organised crime on the other, which continues to use vapes as a ready source of revenue to fund all their other criminal activities,” he said.

“We know this is not going to be easy, but we’re really pleased that [we are] finally turning the corner on this public health scourge.”

However, critics including the federal opposition, believe the new TGA data demonstrates that the move to restrict the purchase of vapes to pharmacies has not proven effective.

“Instead of actually working to come up with a solution and have the enforcement that needed to go with it, [the government] doubled down on that policy and went to a completely unconsolidated policy that said you can only buy vapes by going to the pharmacy,” opposition health spokeswoman Anne Ruston told Sky News.

“The pharmacies didn’t want to do that and, lo and behold, 18 months later, quite clearly, it’s not working…the real tragedy of all this is the fact we have seen young Australians particularly forced into the hands of organised crime.” JM

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