By EMILY GUY
LOCAL pharmacists remain concerned over new legislation introduced by the Federal Government on July 1 that has fundamentally changed the accessibility of vapes.
As of Monday this week, the sale, supply, manufacture, importation, and commercial possession of non-therapeutic vapes is illegal.
The only place a person is able to legally buy a vape is from a pharmacy and the person must have a prescription.
Under the rules, vapes must be therapeutic, have plain packaging, and flavours are to be limited to mint, menthol, or tobacco.
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From October 1, vapes will be rescheduled so that only people under 18 will require a prescription to get one.
Adults will be able to get one over the counter after speaking with their pharmacist, but the rest of the rules will remain.
Milawa and Glenrowan pharmacist Sherwin Kashani said the new policy is obviously a political move, and he personally won't be selling vapes.
"We would be selling vapes that are potentially not good for patients," Mr Kashani said.
"There is a variety of nicotine treatments available, vapes are not necessary and only add to the burden on pharmacists."
As of October 1, the amendment means pharmacists will use their discretion to assess whether it is clinically appropriate for adult patients, or those without a prescription, to access vapes with a nicotine concentration of 20mg/ml or less.
In a statement to the Wangaratta Chronicle, Chemist Warehouse Wangaratta said for the time being it will supply vapes on script, however it remains unclear if it will yield to dispensing vapes to customers without a script after October 1.
Mr Kashani said it was alarming that the government neglected to include health professionals in the making of the policy and believes this consultation is necessary.
"It is just more work for pharmacists - who were not consulted; we found out the day [the legislation passed in parliament]," he said.
Alistair Robertson from Robertson Pharmacy also refuses to provide vapes without a prescription for this reason.
"The legislation came out of the blue," he said.
The new legislation states that any non-pharmacy retailers, including tobacconists, vape shops and convenience stores are prohibited from selling any type of vape.
These regulations aim to address the health risks posed by vaping while preserving avenues to therapeutic vape access, thereby also reducing the opportunities for illegitimate trade in local communities.
Mr Robertson said the legislation was flawed given that no nicotine-containing vapes are deemed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to be a legitimate therapeutic good.
"There is no such thing as a therapeutic vape," he said.
"Pharmacies sell medicines which are evidence-based therapies and vapes are unknown because they are yet to be researched."
Mr Robertson explained that the legislation has been created before therapeutic vapes even exist.
For this reason, Mr Kashani predicts that people who rely on vapes will simply "go from pharmacy to pharmacy until they can get one".
MP backs vape changes
INDEPENDENT federal MP for Indi, Helen Haines, said vaping is a serious problem with profound impacts on long-term health outcomes, particularly for children.
"It is an issue that parents, teachers, and indeed young people themselves have come to me to discuss and to ask for government intervention," Dr Haines said.
"I share their concerns and I congratulate the government on the work they have undertaken to reform vaping laws.
“While I very much support these laws, I want to acknowledge the concerns of pharmacists regarding amendments passed in the Senate.
"These changes mean pharmacists will shoulder the responsibility of selling vapes without a prescription for people over the age of 18."
Dr Haines said the laws are important reforms and a good start.
"But there is still much work to be done to curb the use of vapes by children and young people, and to ensure laws are enforced to stamp out illegal vapes and illicit tobacco,” she said.
