Australia has launched a significant clampdown on vaping, accusing tobacco firms of deliberately targeting teenagers. The country’s health minister, Greg Hunt, said the industry attempted to create the next “generation of nicotine addicts.” Under the proposed measures, the sale of e-cigarettes would be banned to anyone under 18. Advertising is prohibited in a move designed to ensure that vaping is subject to the same strict regulatory regime as conventional tobacco products. A previous attempt to legalize nicotine e-cigarettes in Australia was thwarted in 2017 by a parliamentary vote. Australia has a 15.2% smoking rate for those over 18 as compared to a 14.7% smoking rate for the US, according to WorldAtlas. The new rules will come into force in June 2021.
