Tuesday, 21 March 2023

E-cigarettes

David LIMBRICK (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (17:10): (114) My adjournment matter is for the attention of the Treasurer. It was highlighted in the Herald Sun recently that the government has failed to release a report into illicit tobacco and vaping regulation. This is a nationally significant policy discussion that is underway at the moment. There are strongly held and diverse views on what role nicotine vaping plays in society – whether it is a great innovation that allows smokers to manage their nicotine dependence without the health harms of smoking or whether it is all a dangerous ploy by big tobacco to trap young people into a lifetime of nicotine dependence.

My views on this matter are well known. Since my election in 2018 I have consistently advocated for the rights of vapers, with the Liberal Democrats and former senator David Leyonhjelm advocating for the rights of vapers as far back as 2015. Today the Nationals at the federal level have come out to support easing restrictions and allowing adults to more easily access nicotine harm reduction products, such as e-cigarettes. The New South Wales Greens also have taken a policy to the New South Wales election to appropriately regulate vaping products – welcome to the party, guys. It has taken quite a long time, but maybe common sense will prevail. I am sure members of the government will be upset at the prospect that products which have helped millions of smokers around the world quit their dangerous habit might be more easily available, at least for adults.

This is not to dismiss the concerns of parents and teachers who worry about the use of vaping devices at schools. It may seem counterintuitive, but the solution is obvious to many of us, and it seems that the federal National Party and New South Wales Greens agree that allowing appropriately regulated access for adults who vape will better allow the industry and the government to regulate these devices and restrict access for minors.

If you are having trouble following the logic, I would encourage you to read an excellent article by Professor Nicole Lee and Brigid Clancy in the Conversation today. It is evidence based and cuts through a lot of the hype, cautioning against proposals to ban vaping and highlighting that our current approach has only made things worse. But what advice has Better Regulation Victoria provided the government? Well, we do not know beyond what the Herald Sun has reported, as this report has not actually been released. Whilst the government should obviously just accept that vaping is here to stay and allow for a sensibly regulated sector – and I would welcome any announcement to that effect – at the very least this report should be released, and that is my request to the Treasurer.