Labor’s plan to tackle black market vapes faces falling at first hurdle as pharmacies against stocking e-cigarettes

From next week, adults can buy a vape from a pharmacy without a prescription. It’s part of the plan to stop black market vapes. There’s just one problem ...

Labor’s plan to kneecap the vape black market is set to fall at the first hurdle, with major pharmacy chains unlikely to stock e-cigarettes for sale, despite rules allowing them to do so coming into practice next week.

Vapes — also known as e-cigarettes – will be available for sale from pharmacies across the country from October 1, with no script required for adults, in a move aimed at regulating the booming trade of illegally-imported products.

But just days out from the move coming into practice, Pharmacy Guild of Australia national vice president Anthony Tassone warned members of the guild won’t stock vapes.

“Feedback from our members and the industry suggests that most pharmacies do not intend on stocking these products with franchise brands such as Priceline pharmacy, Terry White Chemmart, Blooms the Chemist, Pharmacy 777 and National Pharmacies already indicating they do not support the supply of nicotine vaping products over-the-counter without a doctor’s prescription,” he said.

Mr Tassone added members are still unsure over the long-term impacts of vaping, saying there was “limited evidence of their long-term safety and potential harm or any effectiveness”.

Vapes co Picture: NewsWire / Diego Fedele

Coalition Health spokeswoman Anne Ruston said “pharmacists have made it clear they do not want to become tobacconists”.

“Here we stand a week away from the start date and it is not clear how many pharmacies, if any, will be willing to stock these products,” she said.

Senator Anne Ruston has hit out at Labor’s plan. AAP image: Mick Tsikas

“Stocking vapes behind the pharmacy counter next to children’s Panadol also sends a concerning message to our children that vaping is safe.

“We are really concerned that Labor’s mess will only drive more Australians to the black market.”

Health Minister Mark Butler said Australia’s laws restricting vapes purely to pharmacies “are strong and world leading”.

“These laws are taking vapes out of the hands of our kids and stamping out recreational vaping, which is why … those under 18 who need support to quit smoking and vaping will always require a prescription from a doctor to get a controlled therapeutic vape,” he said.

Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler during Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“The national laws set a strong and uniform baseline across the country that stamps out recreational vaping, while allowing access for hardened smokers who want to kick the habit.”

There will be three flavours available when the initiative launches – tobacco, mint and menthol.

Vapes sold at chemists won’t be taxed with excise duties or GST as they don’t meet the required definition of a tobacco product.

That comes despite a budget black hole created by thousands of smokers ditching cigarettes for black market, untaxed smokes and vapes – with this year’s budget revealing tax revenue from tobacco is set to fall by $12.5 billion over five years.

The Australian government has looked abroad at taxation attempts on vaping – with jurisdictions like New York raising just $25m in taxes from e-cigarettes last year, down from $35.9m in 2020, despite the number of adults who vape rising.

Major brand Priceline Pharmacy said it wouldn’t enforce a chain-wide edict backing the supply, saying “it is up to each pharmacy owner to decide if they choose to stock vapes in their individual stores”.