Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

Australia bans disposable vape imports from January

Australia bans disposable vape imports from January
Photo: iStock

Australia will ban imports of disposable vapes from January 1, the government said Tuesday.

The block on single-use vapes is aimed at reversing a "disturbing" increase in vaping among young people, health minister Mark Butler said.


Australia first revealed the import ban in May but had not given a start date until now.

Vaping had been sold to governments as a way to help long-term smokers quit, Butler said.

"It was not sold as a recreational product, especially not one targeted to our kids, but that is what it has become," the minister said. "The great majority of vapes contain nicotine, and children are becoming addicted."

About one in seven children aged 14-17 uses vapes, the government said in a statement.

It cited "consistent evidence" that young Australians who vape are about three times more likely to take up tobacco smoking.

Legislation will also be introduced in 2024 to outlaw the manufacture, advertising or supply of disposable vapes in Australia, the government said.

The import ban was hailed by the Australian Medical Association.

"Australia has been a world leader in reducing smoking rates and the subsequent health harms, so the government's decisive action to stop vaping in its tracks and prevent further harm is very welcome," said the association's president, Steve Robson.

The government said it was also introducing a scheme to enable doctors and nurses to prescribe vapes "where clinically appropriate" from January 1.

Australia has a long record of fighting smoking.

In 2012, it became the first country to introduce "plain packaging" laws for cigarettes -- a policy since copied by France, Britain and others.

High taxes have pushed up the price of a packet to about Aus$50 (£26).

Neighbouring New Zealand until recently stood alongside Australia at the forefront of the battle.

But its new conservative coalition government, which took power this week, has now promised to scrap a so-called "generational smoking ban" that would have stopped sales of tobacco to anyone born after 2008.

(AFP)

More for you

Food inflation eases as retailers treat customers to spooky season deals

iStock image

Food inflation eases as retailers treat customers to spooky season deals

October saw shop prices fall marginally further into deflation for the third consecutive month with food inflation eased, particularly for meat, fish and tea along with chocolate and sweets as retailers treated customers to spooky season deals, shows industry data released today (29).

According to British Retail Consortium (BRC), shop price deflation was at 0.8 per cent in October, down from deflation of 0.6 per cent in the previous month. This is below the 3-month average rate of -0.6 per cent. Shop price annual growth was at its lowest rate since August 2021.

Keep ReadingShow less
PayPoint

PayPoint unveils new partnership with Leeds Credit Union

PayPoint has announced a new partnership with Leeds Credit Union (‘LCU’), a financial cooperative with 37,000 members, enabling them access to its CashOut service, effective immediately.

The partnership will mean that LCU customers can access their cash and savings across any of PayPoint’s UK network of 29,000 retailer partners. This represents an unprecedented growth in accessibility and the first partnership of its kind for LCU. Historically customers have needed to visit one of LCU’s four branches to withdraw money.

Keep ReadingShow less
Philip Morris to close German factories as cigarette demand declines
A Philip Morris logo is pictured on a factory in Serrieres near Neuchatel, Switzerland December 8, 2017. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo

Philip Morris Shutting Down German Factories Due to Declining Cigarette Demand

Marlboro-maker Philip Morris said Tuesday it planned to close down its two production sites in Germany, citing falling demand for cigarettes among Europeans.

"In recent years, demand for cigarettes in Europe has fallen significantly," the company said in a statement, adding that it saw the same trend for roll-your-own tobacco.

Keep ReadingShow less
Nisa retailer Prem Uthayakumaran donates thousands to support local communities

Nisa retailer Prem Uthayakumaran donates thousands to support local communities

Nisa retailer Prem Uthayakumaran has made significant donations totalling £3,500 to two local community organisations through Nisa’s Making a Difference Locally (MADL) charity.

The funds will provide essential support to groups within the communities that his stores serve, helping them continue their invaluable work.

Keep ReadingShow less
High streets pay over 'one third of UK's business rates'
(Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

High streets pay over 'one third of UK's business rates'

High streets in the UK are collectively pay one third of all business rates while accounting for 9 per cent of the economy, British Retail Consortium (BRC) stated on Thursday (24), strengthening its call for a fairer level of business rates for hospitality and retail.

BRC and UKHospitalityare united in their call for the Chancellor to implement a fairer level of business rates for hospitality and retail at the Budget, which will rebalance a system that unfairly punishes our high streets and town centres. This was a manifesto pledge from Labour ahead of the election.

Keep ReadingShow less