Do we have a policy on ecigs yet?

(Mofosyne) #1

Considering it is increasingly clear that e-cigs are safer than traditional cigarettes. From the point of harm reduction, we should probably encourage regulations framework to stop the selling of nicotine ecigs liquids from being illegal for cigarettes stores to sell.

The regulation should focus on preventing pure concentrated nicotine from being sold from the store counter, instead we should encourage the sale of premixed version. Which is safer to use compared to the pure version. (The seller can import concentrates, but needs to mix it up themselves with the right concentration that is under safe levels.)

Poster about legal status of ecigs around Australia. Currently it’s a mishmash of laws.

(Jesse Hermans) #2

Given the party’s policy on currently illicit drugs, I would expect that a position on legalising and regulating e-cigs nationally would be widely supported. As for regulation and excise, that may be a matter of debate. Personally I am not sure whether concentrates should be banned. It might make more sense to tax increasing concentrations at a progressive rate of excise. Although you need to demonstrate whether it is such a problem of trends consumer. I don’t see why labelling requirements warning consumers that concentration should be diluted, the harmful effects of nicotine etc.

What if it’s better for someone to get a single concentrated nicotine hit than to continuously vape smaller doses over a longer period though? It seems a bit presumptuous that concentrates are something which should be descriminated against.

(Jesse Hermans) #3

If you want, I invite you to write up a brief amendment to our drugs policy on e-cigs. You just need a category on “legalise, regulate and tax e-cigarrettes and nicotine fluid nation wide”, with an explaination of all the different types of things which need to be consistently legalised across Australia e.g. The e-cig, the nicotine fluid, the sale etc. How liquid nicotine and e-cig fluid interacts with tobacco excise, and a brief paragraph on why e-cigs should be legalised with a reference to academic support over conventional smoking. There’s probably a policy you can rip off the LDP.

It’s probably too late to have ready for this congress, but it could easily be ready for the next one.

(Jesse Hermans) #4

Actually you don’t need to worry about excise, in our policy we already state:

Tax rates will be set at a level which balances the need to manage health impacts with the need to provide financial incentives to avoid the black market.

Which implies that we use this for tobacco and liquid nicotine.

(Solo Recluse) #5

Helloo??

Roasted tobacco exists with a proper noun of Charms, India. Can be recommended for all tobacco.

In the ecig or sheesha or simply through water, hookah variant, all the tar gets removed before going into the lungs. Further reduction in cancer rates.

Now the statistic that one in every 13 cigarettes causes a genetic mutation may not be such a bad thing. It’s called growing up!

Reduce cancer rates.

Thanks and regards.