Heart Foundation welcomes passage of new e-cigarette legislation

Wednesday, 26 June, 2024

New legislation passed by the Senate today will help protect young people from the harms of e-cigarettes and vapes

The Heart Foundation has welcomed the passage through the Senate of new legislation – The Therapeutic Goods and Other Legislation Amendment (Vaping Reforms) Bill 2024 - that will help keep e-cigarettes and vapes out of the hands of children.

In recent years there has been a proliferation of illegal sales of e-cigarettes and vapes with the vaping industry trying to get a new generation hooked on nicotine, a drug that is known to increase the risk of a heart attack.

This legislation will help ensure that e-cigarettes and vapes will only be provided to adults through pharmacies, rather than illegal retailers that push vaping products with packaging and flavours designed to get children hooked on nicotine.

“E-cigarettes and vapes are not safe,” said David Lloyd, CEO of the Heart Foundation.

“The more we learn about 'vaping,' the more we understand its harmful effects on the human body, including its links to heart disease.

“One recent study found that any use of e-cigarettes is associated with a 33% increased risk of having a heart attack compared to people who have never used e-cigarettes.

“Add to that the high levels of nicotine that keep people addicted, and vaping is just another deadly and costly version of tobacco smoking, which already sadly costs our nation far too much in terms of pain and suffering, as well as billions of dollars in healthcare costs.

"We welcome the passage of this legislation and commend all members of parliament who supported it. Minister Butler's efforts in addressing this issue are as commendable as Nicola Roxon's work on plain packaging, showcasing a strong commitment to public health."