1 October is fast approaching, which will see nicotine-containing vapes legally able to be sold over-the-counter in pharmacies. This is true for all states except Tasmania, where the Rockliff Government set itself apart, legislating that vapes will still require a prescription. In all other states, selling vapes will be optional, and the Guild anticipates that many pharmacies will choose not to sell them.
Guild has launched a national awareness campaign to educate consumers on the dangers of vapes, and ensure our position is clear. Community pharmacists are not tobacconists, and we did not ask for this responsibility. Campaign messaging emphasises that pharmacists are healthcare professionals, dedicated to the safe and quality use of medicines, not the sale of nicotine products.
Many pharmacists, and members of the public have expressed concerned that vapes, which lack proven therapeutic benefits and are not on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG), should not be sold alongside essential healthcare items in pharmacies.
A core focus of the campaign is the desire to end the rise of vaping among children and the black-market sale of unregulated products. The down-scheduling of vapes to a Schedule 3 product, which allows them to be sold without a prescription, is not seen as a pro-health solution. There is little evidence supporting the use of vapes for long-term smoking cessation or nicotine dependence. Pharmacists have raised concerns about the long-term harms associated with vaping, as well as its potential to introduce harmful substances into users' bodies, including formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, which can damage lung and cardiovascular health.
Even the Department of Health and Aged Care has warned of the dangers of vaping. The long-term effects remain uncertain, but the rise in nicotine addiction among teenagers is a significant concern.
The Guild’s campaign has received widespread public support and resonated strongly with Australians. One public comment noted:
"Pharmacists, especially those in country towns, are already stretched so thin and adding another service to their caseload would be ridiculous. A pharmacy is not the appropriate place to supply vapes."
Pharmacists have expressed their concern too, with one saying, “I am a pharmacist. We are dedicated to the safe and quality use of medications. Vaping is NOT a safe alternative to cigarettes and I will not be apart [sic] of this.”
Another pharmacist commented, “Pharmacists go to university for 5 years of full time study for what? To become a vape plug? I don’t think that anyone wants this.”
Guild members can access campaign materials and information resources through the Guild’s website to learn more and to have the facts on hand and inform their customers.
