NEWS
WHY BAN THIS IMPORT-ANT QUITTING TOOL
Advocates accuse Australia of leaving smokers behind after it launched its controversial vape import ban .
Words : Jordan Millar
For Aussie vapers , October 1 will forever be known as ‘ Black Friday ’… when regulators ‘ ignored science ’ and potentially condemned millions of smokers to death . Despite fierce opposition from advocates and experts , Australia ‘ clamped down ’ its borders , making it near impossible to access life-saving vaping products . Now , the country ’ s 500,000 vapers – and 2.3 million smokers – must apply for a doctor ’ s prescription before they can import the reduced risk product . Experts warned that the measure could spell doom for public health and force thousands back to deadly cigarettes , accusing policymakers of disregarding ‘ best practice ’. They said that , by limiting access to e-cigarettes , Australia had effectively joined ‘ a sad club of countries ’ that fail to acknowledge the role of vaping in the fight against tobacco . Harm reduction advocate Nancy Loucas said : “ 500,000 vapers are now expected to hunt down a willing doctor for a medical assessment and prescription . “ And many , undoubtably , will return to the easier option of grabbing a packet of cigarettes .” She added : “ Friday , October 1 marks the day deadly cigarettes became a lot easier to obtain in Australia than safer nicotine vaping products .” Loucas stressed that Aussie policymakers are already ‘ miles behind ’ when it comes to ending the smoking epidemic , instead falling in line with the anti-vape messaging of the World Health Organization . And , with the WHO ‘ condemning safer alternatives ’ and ‘ ignoring mounting evidence ’, the health body is effectively ‘ denying ’ the world ’ s 1.1 billion smokers a proven escape from cigarettes . She said : “ Australia is now well down the world rankings when it comes to adopting effective tobacco harm reduction policies . “ It is not following international science or best practice , instead kowtowing to the poisoned advice of the World Health Organization … it ’ s sadly another dark day .”
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Friday , October 1 marks the day deadly cigarettes became a lot easier to obtain in Australia than safer nicotine vaping products .
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