Australia Implements Sweeping Regulations to Curb Teen Vaping
Australia's government will enforce a requirement that products such as e-cigarettes be sold only in pharmacies with a prescription to reduce teen use. Vapes are only legal with a prescription in Australia, but an "unregulated essentially illegal" black market has flourished in convenience stores, tobacconists and vape shops across the country. The government will step up efforts to block the importation of any vaping products not destined for pharmacies and will stop the sale of vapes in retail stores. The government's next budget proposal would include $737 million Australian dollars ($492 million) to fund several efforts aimed at vaping and tobacco use, including a lung cancer screening program and a national public information campaign encouraging users to quit.