Australian Government's Controversial Guidelines on E-Cigarettes

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has recently released a statement from its CEO regarding electronic cigarettes, offering guidance for public health decision-makers in 2022.

According to the Asia Pacific Advocates for Tobacco Harm Reduction Alliance (CAPHRA), a recent document falsely claimed that e-cigarettes were not effective smoking cessation tools, but rather a gateway to smoking. The document also asserted that most e-cigarette users became dual users, and that e-cigarettes increased the risk of smoking relapse. CAPHRA stated that the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) overemphasized the negative health effects, toxicity, and explosion risks of e-cigarettes, while failing to compare toxins and potential harm to smoking in a fair manner.

Nancy Loucas, coordinator for CAPHRA, stated that the latest government document regarding e-cigarettes contains outrageous false statements that will only lead to more Australian smokers losing their lives.

It is absurd that the Chief Medical Officer of Australia considers e-cigarettes to be the next biggest health issue after COVID-19. Has he not heard that smoking kills over 20,000 Australians each year? This 18-page document is a complete joke, filled with statements that can easily be debunked by international scientific and human evidence, says Loucas.

CAPHRA has stated that Australia's aggressive approach against e-cigarettes is increasingly out of sync with other Asia-Pacific countries. The Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand are set to lift their bans on e-cigarettes. Furthermore, New Zealand has implemented a regulatory framework in Tasman, which has resulted in a decrease in smoking rates.

Loucas stated, "This shocking document is not something that should be put in writing, but it is now considered the bible for public health guidance in Australia and its surrounding regions.

Selling, supplying, or possessing nicotine e-cigarette products is illegal in Australia, the only western democracy that requires a prescription to use e-cigarettes. Shockingly, 2.3 million Australians continue to use traditional cigarettes.

Last year, the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration expanded its prescription-only mode, and customs cracked down on individuals importing nicotine e-cigarette oil from overseas websites at the borders.

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