Health Minister Mark Butler defends watered-down vaping Bill

The Health Minister has urged the Senate to pass the Albanese government’s watered-down vaping Bill despite a backlash from a key group.

Health Minister Mark Butler says pharmacists won’t be forced to sell vapes after backlash from the industry over a deal with the Greens to water down vaping reforms.

Instead of previous laws that would prohibit adults from buying a vape unless they had a prescription, the Bill has been amended to drop the classification of nicotine vapes from a schedule 4 substance (prescription only), to a schedule 3 (pharmacist only).

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Mr Butler said the decision to stock vapes would be made by individual pharmacies.

“This is, I think, a sensible balance between access and serious reform to return this product to its original intention, which was therapeutic,” Mr Butler told reporters in Canberra.

Health Minister Mark Butler has defended the government’s watered-down vaping legislation after a backlash from the pharmacy industry. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“Of course pharmacies aren’t owned by the government so they can’t be directed by the government what they sell.

“Some pharmacies choose to offer methadone treatment, some don’t.

“This will be a decision by individual pharmacies.”

Mr Butler on Monday secured support from the minor party for Labor’s contentious plan that originally would have limited vape access to prescription-only pharmacy sales.

While the ban on the sale of non-prescription vape sales will be in place from July 1 as originally intended, from October individuals will be able to purchase vapes from behind the counter following a conversation with a pharmacist about the health harms associated with vaping.

The Bill is due to go before the Senate shortly.

The Pharmacy Guild has reacted angrily to the proposal, branding the move as “insulting” and urged the government to change course on the vaping crackdown.

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia has reacted angrily to the changes in the Bill. Picture: NewsWire / Ben Clark

“Everyone wants to keep illegal vapes out of the hands of kids and teenagers, but the Senate wants pharmacists to stock vapes next to children’s Panadol, cold and flu medicine, and emergency contraception,” it said in a statement.

Mr Butler said the Guild had known the vaping laws were coming and had the opportunity to make a submission and appear before the Senate committee inquiry into the Bill.

“I understand it didn’t make a submission and didn’t attend a hearing,” he said

“That’s their right.”

Speaking on Today, Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie said the Coalition didn’t support the changes.

“This is a classic case of the Labor Party trying to hide behind the white coat of the local pharmacists in this vain attempt to try and get vapes out of the hands of our children and out of our schools,” she said.

“We want to see vapes locked up behind the counter under cloak as cigarettes are.”

Federal Greens leader Adam Bandt said wide-ranging bans wouldn’t “fix the problem”.

If the amended legislation is passed, adults would be able to buy tobacco, mint and menthol flavoured vapes from pharmacies without the need for a prescription. Picture: NewsWire/ Ben Clark

He said the amendments put forward by the Greens would also restrict children’s access to vapes, especially flavoured vapes that he said were “deliberately marketed to children”.

“They’ll no longer be available,” he said.

“(Children will now no longer be able to buy vapes), but in general, the only way that you’re going to be able to get them is through a chemist.”

Ahead of the new reform details, NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the state would “consider the finer details of the amended legislation”.

“I’ve always said that we have a unique opportunity to stem the spread of these unhealthy practices,” he said.

“These laws are part of a broader package of reforms ranging from importation controls, stronger enforcement mechanisms and restrictions on quantity and advertising.

“As a state health minister, I’m constantly looking at how we can keep our children and the broader community safe and healthy, and we’ll continue to look at ways to do this.”

Originally published as Health Minister Mark Butler defends watered-down vaping Bill