In Australia, current government approaches to the supply and sale of e-cigarettes risk legitimizing them as therapeutic products, without robust evidence of their effectiveness and safety.
AMA Queensland president Dr Nick Yim has urged a parliamentary inquiry to carefully examine the unintended consequences of the proposed reforms.
“As doctors, we would prefer that e-cigarettes be treated for what they are – unproven and potentially dangerous, and not as a first or even second-line treatment for smoking cessation,” said Dr. Dr. Yim.
There are many clinically proven options that we know are effective and readily available. I prescribe them to my patients every week.
I would not risk prescribing e-cigarettes to anyone, especially not a child, and I do not know of any doctor who would prescribe e-cigarettes to minors.
However, laws were recently passed by the federal parliament allowing e-cigarettes to be prescribed to those under 18 years of age.
AMA Queensland's preference is that neither children nor adults vape and are referred to proven cessation therapies instead. This is the best way to protect the health of our community.
If governments nevertheless decide to implement a prescription or pharmacy-only model, we insist on in-depth consideration of the points raised in our submission.
Above all, there must be a separation between the prescription or authorization of a vaping product and its sale.
We have seen Big Tobacco unscrupulously target our fellow pharmacists to encourage them to stock their products.
I was a pharmacist. I've spoken to many of them and they don't want to be pushed into selling e-cigarettes at the expense of proven treatments. They definitely don't want to sell them to children.
The Queensland Government recently introduced laws to prevent children from being exposed to tobacco and vaping in places they frequent, such as school car parks. These changes are essential to protect children from associated harms.
“It would be absurd to create a situation where these state laws could require exemptions so that children who are addicted and permitted to use e-cigarettes under federal laws are not forced to stay at home. »
