Australian smokers and vapers will have a new round of rules to contend with soon as the Health Minister announces a raft of further crackdowns.
In a bid to disincentivise smoking and vaping, Mark Butler announced further controls on Wednesday to coincide with World No Tobacco Day.
These new amendments include limiting the use of ‘appealing’ names which imply reduced harm, standardising tobacco packets and improving the graphic warnings on packaging.
As such, tobacco packets will look the same, contain the same amount of product and contain health promotion inserts in all pouches.
There will be a further crackdown on advertising which will extend to vaping, while transparency surrounding sales volumes will be promoted.
Mr Butler said: ‘Tobacco use is estimated to claim the lives of about 20,000 Australians every year – more than 50 Australians every day.
‘This legislation will enable the next generation of reform to help us fight against nicotine addiction.’
Smokers will have to pay as much as $10 more for a pack of cigarettes thanks to a massive tobacco tax increase introduced as part of the Federal Budget (file picture)
He said Australia must reclaim its position as a ‘world leader’ on tobacco for the sake of future generations.
‘Australia has been a leader in public health measures to discourage smoking, but after a decade of inaction the gains of Labor’s world leading plain packaging laws have been squandered.’
Labor’s National Tobacco Strategy has committed to reducing daily smoking to below 10 per cent by 2025, and less than five per cent by 2023.
There will be a focus on tackling smoking in First Nations communities.
Tobacco products will face a 15 per cent tax hike – with five per cent added every year for the next three years from September 1.
By 2026, a packet of cigarettes will cost around $49 – up $10 from the current price.
The move – which also affects rolling tobacco – will bring in an extra $3.3 billion over the next four years as the federal government.
Recreational vaping will also be banned as the government seeks to prevent the next generation of nicotine addicts.
This follows a $234 million boost in the Budget for tougher regulation of e-cigarettes, including new controls on their importation and packaging.
The government will work with the states and territories to shut down the sale of vapes in retail and convenience stores and make it easier to get a prescription for therapeutic use.
To tackle the growing black market, the government will increase the product standards for vapes, including by restricting flavours and colours.
It will require pharmaceutical-like packaging, a reduction in the allowed nicotine concentrations and volumes and a ban on single-use vapes.
Mr Butler previously revealed children under the age of four had reported to Victoria’s poisons hotline after they used a vape.
‘This is a product targeted at our kids, sold alongside lollies and chocolate bars,’ he said.
‘Vaping has become the number one behavioural issue in high schools, and it’s becoming widespread in primary schools. This must end.’
Recreational vaping will also be banned as the government seeks to prevent the next generation of nicotine addicts (file picture)
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