Vape Regulations 2024

Last updated 3 Sept 2024 (two stars ** indicate new information added/updated).

We created this page to give you as much information as possible about the 2024 vape regulations, as we understand them, along with links to government, doctor and news articles that have further information. We also have some frequently asked questions at the end of the page.

We keep this page as updated as possible.

Vape regulation changes

The 2024 vaping regulations include the following changes (as we understand them). Please read the links in the 'More information' section as they are our resources for information.

From 1 January

• Ban on importing disposable vapes (those that are prefilled with e-liquid).
• All doctor or nurse practitioners can prescribe nicotine vaping products without acquiring Therapeutic Goods Administration's (TGA's) approval. It is up to the doctor or nurse to choose whether they provide these prescriptions.

From 1 March

• Ban on importing any vape products including e-liquid (with or without nicotine) and hardware by individuals, even with a prescription. Businesses need a licence and permit from ODC to import, and must notify TGA of each product's compliance with their standards (see current list of notified vapes).
• Vape stores, like us, can continue to sell the nicotine-free vaping products until 1 July when the Vaping Reforms Bill is enforced.
• Vape products imported after 1 March must meet new device and e-liquid standards, and only be sold in a pharmacy, with prescription.
• All vape products classified as therapeutic products for the use of smoking cessation or the management of nicotine dependence (formerly classified as smoke product, under same laws as cigarettes).
• Personal importation scheme ends meaning, as an individual, it will be prohibited to order any vape products from overseas, even with a prescription.
• Limits on flavours to mint, menthol and tobacco for vape products imported after 1 March.

From 1 July

The Therapeutic Goods and Other Legislation Amendment (Vaping Reforms) Bill 2024 was introduced on 21 March by the Minister for Health and Aged Care that added further vaping reforms, enforcing the following from 1 July:

• Retail vape sales ban from 1 July, prohibiting tobacconists, vape stores and convenience stores from selling non-therapeutic vapes (any vape products).
• Ban on importation, manufacture, advertisement, supply and commercial possession, of disposable, single-use vapes and non-therapeutic vapes.
• Penalties for importing, manufacturing, supplying, advertising or commercially possessing vaping products in a manner contrary to regulations/law. Illegal vape retailers, manufactures and suppliers could face fines up to $2.2 million and seven years jail time.
• Dictate that we can access vapes:
• only through pharmacy from 1 July
• only with prescription from 1 July to 30 September
• over the counter from 1 October, without prescription, at pharmacies only (must show ID and chat with a pharmacist before purchase).
• You can purchase:
• up to one month's supply
• up to 20mg/mL nicotine concentration in filled pods or e-liquid (from 1 Oct without prescription; prescription required for higher concentration)
• both nicotine and nicotine-free vaping products.

Bill progress

The Vaping Reforms Bill was:

• debated in Parliament on 27 March, with many Ministers speaking both in favour or opposed to the proposed Bill
• passed to a Senate Committee of Inquiry to recommend if Australia should continue with the proposed bill and prescription-only model. The committee:
• collected around 300 public submissions
• hosted two public hearings, calling witnesses from those who lodged submissions.
• prepared Senate Inquiry Report by 8 May where they recommended the bill be passed. The National Party Senators published a 'Dissenting Report', opposed to passing the bill; recommending regulation like tobacco products.
• amended (CW - Government [sheet ZC286]) to remove the prescription-only model and replace it with a pharmacy-only model on 24 June
• debated and passed with amendments by the Senate on 26 June
• passed with amendments by the House of Representatives on 27 June.

Have your say

• Email your Member of Parliament to express your thoughts on the Vaping Reforms Bill 2024. Now that the bill may be passed, maybe let them know how it's going, how easy it is for you to access the vaping products you need etc.
• Vape petition. The petition to the House of Representatives to review and repeal the proposed 1 March vape import ban (EN5905) closed on 6 March with over 28000 signatures. It has been presented to the House and waiting for the Minister responsible for the matters raised in the petition to respond. The Parliament of Australia website says Ministers are given 90 days to respond but that it could take longer.

More information

Government organisations

• **Strong actions to stamp out vaping in Tasmania, 30 Aug, Premier of Tasmania.
• **Therapeutic Goods (Vaping Goods - Possession and Supply) Determination 2024, Federal Register of Legislation.
• Business surrender scheme for vaping goods, tga.gov.au, 19 Jul.
• IMPORTANT Information for patients and consumers (commercial and person quantities explained), tga.gov.au, 1 Jul.
• **Changes to vaping in Australia from 1 July, health.gov.au, 1 Jul.
• New vaping laws to commence 1 July 2024, 28 Jun tga.gov.au
• Update on the Vaping Reforms Bill 2024, 17 Jun, tga.gov.au
• Radio interview with Minister Butler and Craig Reucassel, ABC Radio Sydney, 12 Jun, Health.gov.au
• Australia's leadership on smoking and vaping commended by the World Health Organisation, 30 May, Health.gov.au
• Senate Inquiry Report regarding Vaping Reforms Bill
• Minister for Health & Aged Care Press Conference, 8 May, Health.gov.au
• Public hearing dates and programs for Vaping Reforms Bill Inquiry
• Submissions to Vaping Reforms Bill Senate Inquiry
• Therapeutic Goods and Other Legislation Amendment (Vaping Reforms) Bill 2024
• Minister of Health & Aged Care Press Conference, 10 Apr, Health.gov.au
• Second reading speeches (Ministers in Parliament on 27 Mar)
• Stage 2 of vaping reforms introduced to Parliament, 21 Mar, TGA
• Television interview with Minister Butler... ABC News, 21 Mar, Health.gov.au
• Minister for Health and Aged Care press conference, 21 Mar, Health.gov.au
• World leading vaping legislation introduced to Paliament, 21 Mar, Health.gov.au
• TGA's list of notified vapes
• Reforms to the regulation of vapes (TGA)
• TGA media release on new 2024 vape regulations, 23 Nov 2023
• TGA Vaping Hub includes links to information for patients, compliance/enforcement, retailers etc.
• Importing vaping goods into Australia, ODC
• Radio interview with Minister Butler on ABC Radio, 7 Feb, Health.gov.au
• Podcast interview with Minister Butler & Bension Siebert - The Briefing, 7 Mar, Health.gov.au

Doctors

• Vaping FAQs, Dr Mendelsohn's site.
• Dr Col's Vaping Truths, videos exploring vaping misconceptions, Dr Mendelsohn's site.
• Dr Colin Mendelsohn's blog:
• **Should you vape 6-methylnicotine?, 2 Sept.
• **Everything you need to know about vaping, 21 Aug.
• **Does vaping cause cardiovascular disease?, 14 Aug.
• **10 reasons why the new pharmacy model will fail, 24 Jul.
• Prohibition never works - criminals simply adapt to increased enforcement, 17 Jul.
• New vape regulations start today - what you need to know, 30 Jun.
• Vaping bill passes: a pyrrhic victory for Mark Butler, 26 Jun.
• Butler's backflip. Still a disaster and bound to fail, 25 Jun.
• Channel 7 Sydney 'inaccurately portrayed me as a representative of Big Tobacco', 13 Jun.
• Australia must follow New Zealand and Sweden to reduce smoking, 13 Jun.
• Vaping by young adults - good news for public health, 31 May.
• Youth vaping - the facts, 28 May.
• The regulation of vaping in Australia has failed. What now?, 22 May.
• Urgent call to reject the Vaping Reforms Bill, 21 May.
• New Zealand smoking success puts Australia to shame, 21 May.
• The Senate Committe has approved the vaping bill. What now?, 8 May.
• Youth vaping rates higher in Australia than other countries, 5 May.
• Proposed restrictions will have no impact on the vape black market - experts, 3 May.
• My evidence at the Senate Inquiry, 3 May.
• Debunking anti-vaping claims in the Senate Inquiry, 30 Apr.
• Vaping prohibition has failed, experts say, 29 Apr.
• Does vaping harm the lungs of adults who have never smoked?, 24 Apr.
• The dilemma facing the NSW Parliament Inquiry into vaping, 14 Apr.
• Please make a submission to the Senate vaping inquiry, 4 Apr.
• The vape debate - a report from Parliament, 30 Mar.
• Victorian Parliament inquiry into vaping. Submissions now due, 19 Mar.
• Youth vaping. Is it time to panic?, 1 Mar.
• The latest regulations on vaping in Australia, 8 Jan.
• The pharmacy nightmare is about to begin for vapers, 15 Feb.

Other organisations

• 'Everyone does it': mythbusting young Australians' overestimation of vaping among peers, 4 Mar, Australian National University.
• Legalise Vaping Australia media releases

News articles

• **The unscrupulous manufacturers and sellers giving the vape industry a bad reputation, 31 Aug, Vaping Post.
• **Vapes by prescription only in Tasmania, 30 Aug, Mirage News.
• **Health Minister takes action to resolve 'watered-down' vape laws, 30 Aug, The Advocate.
• **Vaping crackdown could involve 'sting operations' in which children are sent undercover into shops, 28 Aug, ABC News.
• **Countdown to failure of pharmacy vape scheme, 26 Aug, Canberra City News.
• How teen vaping data is reported to create fear, 22 Jul, Vaping Post.
• New vape laws being ignored by Queensland retailers, 16 Jul, 7 News.
• Police seize over $3 million in cash, vapes and illegal tobacco, 16 Jul, Convenience and Impulse Retailing.
• Study suggests switching from smoking to vaping indoors may reduce children's secondhand exposure to nicotine, 16 Jul, News Medical Life Sciences.
• Will the vape sales ban push more people into the black market?, 9 Jul, ABC News YouTube.
• Vapes stocked, 9 Jul, Pharmacy Daily.
• Pharmacies will soon be able to supply vapes without prescription: how might this work in practice?, 8 Jul, InSight+.
• Ban on retail sales of nicotine-free vapes makes no sense at all, 2 Jul, Sydney Criminal Lawyers.
• Statement from the Therapeutic Goods Administration regarding new vape laws, 2 Jul, Network Ten.
• Vapes go behind the chemist counter, 1 Jul, Star Journal.
• Vaping laws are about to change, and then change again, 28 Jun, Riotact.
• Parliament passes vaping reforms following extensive AMA advocacy, 27 Jun, AMA.
• Vape control smoked, 26 Jun, The Pharmacy Guild of Australia.
• Vapes as pharmacy-only medication starting Monday, 26 Jun, NewsGP.
• 'Prohibition doesn't work': Greens back in vape changes, 25 Jun, Yahoo News.
• Vaping laws are changing in Australia..., 25 Jun, ABC News.
• Australia plans to restrict vape sales to pharmacies from next week, 24 Jun, The Associated Press.
• Global Forum on Nicotine (GFN) 2024 discussion on Australian vape laws, 23 Jun, The Vaping Post.
• Man charged over $300K vape seizure in Riverina: NSW Police, 19 Jun, Mirage News.
• 'Nanny state': YouTuber who fled Australia takes new swipe, 18 Jun, News.com.au
• Smoke taxes driving people towards black market - and smoking rates up,18 Jun, The Age.
• Should Australia entrench its already failed vaping laws?, 18 Jun, Canberra City News.
• Channel Seven vaping promotion breached accuracy rules: ACMA, 18 Jun, IT Wire News.
• Vapes help New Zealand halve its smoking rate, 17 Jun, C-Store.com.au.
• Would banning vapes lead to a resurgence of young people smoking?, 17 Jun, Coastal Breeze News.
• Flavoured vape restrictions harm anti-smoking efforts: study, 13 Jun, Mirage News.
• Could plain vape packaging help prevent youth Vaping? We asked an expert, 13 Jun, The Vaping Post.
• Alec doesn't want vapes to be banned..., 12 Jun, SBS News.
• How the new vape ban is splitting the Coalition, 7 Jun, The Monthly.
• New research exposes major problem with the Albanese government's ban on vapes: 'We're the only country in the world with an issue this bad', 4 Jun, Daily Mail Australia.
• More than 285000 illegal cigarettes, 2000 vapes seized in raids, 31 May, 9 News.
• Strike team to walk streets and catch dodgy vape sellers, 30 May, 9 News.
• Fake cigarettes, firebombs and a flourishing black market, 30 May, ABC News.
• CAPHRA urges end to vape disinformation, 29 May, Tobacco Reporter.
• 'We got it wrong': Nationals leader on vape regulation, 27 May, Skynews.com.au.
• Should vapes be legalised and taxed?, 27 May, 4BC Brisbane.
• No one wants kids vaping. But is Labor criminalising adults who flout the crackdown?, 27 May, The Guardian.
• NSW offences for selling, advertising and promoting tobacco and e-cigarettes, 15 May, Sydney Criminal Lawyers.
• Vape laws normalising interactions with criminals, 9 May, Convenience and Impulse Retailing.
• Researchers scaremonger over vaping chemicals and more!, 4 May, casaa.org.
• Ex-smoking vapers plead with senators to protect legitimate e-cigarette users, 2 May, News.com.au.
• MP calls out 'illegal chop-shops', 24 Apr, WarwickToday.
• Health ministers unite over anti-vaping laws, 20 Apr, 9News YouTube.
• Government vaping prohibitions are making cigarettes the easier alternative, 19 Apr, Sydney Criminal Lawyers.
• States back vaping bans, urging federal parliament to act, 19 Apr, ABC News.
• Government's 'prohibition model hasn't worked' for vaping crackdown, 19 Apr, Sky News Australia.
• The WHO carelessly links vaping to seizures..., 17 Apr, The Vaping Post.
• Pharmacists should be able to dispense nicotine vapes without a prescription. Here's why, 16 Apr, The Conversation.
• Don't hold your breath: methods to stop kids vaping may be making things worse, 15 Apr, Education HQ News.
• Better vape than smoke, and bans don't work, inquiry told, 12 Apr, The Medical Republic.
• Vaping could be key to help people quit smoking, study says, 6 Apr, New York Post article on AOL.com.
• Coalition hints a repealing Labor's prohibition on vapes, 23 Mar, Sky News.
• Australia set to ban non-medical vapes in world's toughest crackdown, 22 Mar, 9 News, msn.com.
• Seven years jail time for unlawful vape manufacturers, suppliers..., 21 Mar, News.com.au.
• National and Greens criticise vaping 'prohibition' as battle looms for Labor, 19 Mar, The Guardian.
• Vape ban will hit struggling Australians the hardest, 14 Mar, Convenience & Impulse Retailing.
• The Australian war on vapes: an absurd rejection of a healthier alternative, 13 Mar, Sydney Criminal Lawyers.
• It just got much harder to stop smoking, 5 Mar, 2GB Sydney.
• Parliament to vote on vape sales ban, 29 Feb, The Saturday Paper.
• A clearer picture of the vape regulations coming ahead for Australia, 23 Nov 2023, The Vaping Post.