Australia's Convenience Store Association Urges E-Cigarette Policy Change

With over 1.1 million Australian adults opting for electronic cigarettes, the Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS) is calling for an urgent change in the current national policy.

According to data released by the Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS), the number of people using e-cigarettes has increased by 260% in the last five years, with the trend accelerating since the ban on the sale of nicotine e-cigarettes. Theo Foukkare, CEO of AACS, stated that Australia's e-cigarette policy has clearly failed.

The demand for e-cigarettes among adult smokers is overwhelming, but current policies force users to purchase unregulated products, with concerns about the quality of products from the black market.

Currently, those looking to purchase electronic cigarette products must consult a general practitioner and obtain a prescription to either purchase the product from a pharmacy or order it from overseas. This could result in the government losing millions of dollars in foreign currency.

The Albanian government must intervene to address the regulatory failure of the former Minister of Health, ensuring that trustworthy retailers only sell electronic cigarettes that meet electrical safety and ingredient standards, once the age of the buyer has been determined.

Data from convenience stores in Australia indicate that 88% of e-cigarettes were purchased on the black market without a valid medical prescription as required by law.

This is not a problem that will disappear. It will continue to grow. Australian parents and teachers are on the front line.

Australian adults will continue to pay the price and risk their health by purchasing unregulated products if there is no alternative solution, as there are currently no standards in place for the manufacture or supply of e-cigarettes.

The AACS has called on the Albanian government to hold an emergency national policy summit to address the use of electronic cigarettes by 5.8% of the adult population. The summit aims to identify and implement measures to tackle the illegal electronic cigarette market.

The Australian government must follow the example of New Zealand, the European Union, and the United Kingdom in regulating and controlling e-cigarettes as responsible adult consumer products sold by licensed retailers.

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