Australia plans to ban imports of disposable e-cigarettes from 1 January due to rising concerns over their use among teenagers, the government announced on Tuesday.
Although less than 12% of Australia's population smokes daily, an estimated 15% of teenagers aged between 14 and 17 use e-cigarettes, according to official data.
"The vast majority of e-cigarettes contain nicotine and children are becoming addicted," commented Health Minister Mark Butler. He added that this is particularly "concerning" as those who vape are three times more likely to also smoke tobacco.
The ban on importing disposable e-cigarettes, which are affordable and easily accessible, aims to dry up the market. This will be followed by a ban of the manufacturing and sale of such products in 2024.
Australia is proud of being at the forefront of the battle against smoking: in 2012, the country became the first in the world to enforce plain packaging for cigarettes. Australia also has some of the highest cigarette prices on the planet, with a packet costing 50 Australian dollars (€30).
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New Zealand, another key player in the sector, last year implemented a "generational smoking ban" prohibiting the sale of cigarettes to anyone born after 2008.
However, New Zealand's new conservative government confirmed its plans on Monday to discard this measure, citing fears it could generate a substantial black market for tobacco sales.
