Timeline:
26 June 2024:
"I have a couple of questions on how this policy will be evaluated, but, firstly, I would like to say—Senator Ruston was making this point—that this bill has changed substantially over the last week. We're essentially considering a vastly different bill to the one that was on the table last week, and it's disappointing that stakeholders weren't given more time to consider these changes.
Since the details of the bill were released earlier this week, the overwhelming message I've received directly from medical professionals and public health experts is that this is not ideal. As was mentioned, the Pharmacy Guild don't appear to support these changes, despite being the ones who will be the most impacted through this new model. I wonder if, at any time, the Greens asked the pharmacy profession, the medical profession or the public health community how they felt about what was being proposed and what emerged earlier this week on the new model that's on the table."
David Pocock Is Wrong, Here's Why:
Senator David Pocock’s speech in favor of the vaping reforms is riddled with inaccuracies, flawed assumptions, and a failure to acknowledge real-world public health data. Below is a fact-based rebuttal that highlights why his arguments are incorrect.
1. “The current system has been a public health disaster, leading to an explosion of underage vape use and illegal sales.”
The Facts: The Public Health Disaster Was Created by Australia’s Own Failed Policy
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Australia’s prescription-only model is responsible for the black market problem, not vaping itself.
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Countries that allow regulated retail sales (UK, New Zealand, Canada) have lower youth vaping rates and better control over illegal sales.
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Banning legal vape sales fuels criminal networks that sell high-nicotine, unregulated vapes to youth.
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In contrast, countries with sensible vape regulations have seen continued declines in both youth and adult smoking rates.
2. “A retail model will develop a new generation of full-time vapers, leading to full-time smokers.”
The Facts: The Gateway Theory Is Misleading and Largely Debunked
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The vast majority of youth vapers are already smokers or at high risk of smoking.
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Youth smoking rates are at historic lows in countries where vaping is legal and regulated.
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Vaping is a displacement effect, meaning it replaces smoking rather than encouraging it.
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The UK and New Zealand models demonstrate that allowing legal vape sales does not create a “new generation of smokers”.
3. “Tobacco use causes lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, and many other illnesses.”
The Facts: Vaping Does Not Contain the Harmful Chemicals Found in Cigarettes
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Vaping does not contain tar, carbon monoxide, or the 7,000+ toxic chemicals found in cigarette smoke.
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Public Health England, the NHS, and the Royal College of Physicians confirm that vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking.
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Cancer Research UK states there is no good evidence that vaping causes cancer.
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By restricting access to safer nicotine alternatives, this policy risks driving people back to cigarettes—the very product that causes all these illnesses.
4. “Vaping leads to tobacco use. There’s excellent research proving this.”
The Facts: The “Vaping Gateway” Argument Is Misleading
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No credible evidence proves that vaping causes non-smokers to start smoking.
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Studies often conflate correlation with causation—people who try vaping are already at higher risk of smoking.
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Countries where vaping is legal and regulated have seen youth smoking rates continue to decline.
5. “We don’t know the long-term effects of vaping, but we know the chemicals in vapes are harmful.”
The Facts: Vaping Is Much Safer Than Smoking, and Most Claims About Chemicals Are Overblown
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Long-term data so far suggest that vaping is far less harmful than smoking.
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Vape aerosols contain far fewer harmful substances than cigarette smoke.
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Claims about heavy metals and toxic chemicals often come from studies of black-market products, not legal, regulated vapes.
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In countries with regulated vape sales, safety measures ensure that nicotine content, ingredients, and emissions are within safe limits.
6. “If we can stop vaping before it starts, we will be saving lives.”
The Facts: Banning Vapes Will Cost More Lives by Pushing Smokers Back to Cigarettes
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Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death, killing two out of three long-term users.
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Vaping has helped millions of smokers quit, leading to substantial public health benefits.
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The UK's Royal College of Physicians strongly supports vaping as a safer alternative and has warned against policies that discourage smokers from switching.
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By restricting vape access, Australia is effectively encouraging smokers to stick with cigarettes—leading to more preventable deaths.
7. “We must take a long-term view to protect young people.”
The Facts: The Best Way to Protect Youth Is Sensible Regulation, Not Prohibition
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Strict age verification and retail regulations work better than outright bans.
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The UK and New Zealand prevent youth access through proper enforcement and penalties for illegal sales.
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Prohibition does not protect young people—it hands control of the market to unregulated, black-market sellers.
A More Effective Approach
Senator Pocock’s speech is based on fear-mongering and misinformation. Instead of doubling down on prohibitionist policies that have already failed, Australia should adopt a regulated, evidence-based vaping policy, similar to the UK and New Zealand where:
✅ Smoking rates continue to fall.
✅ Youth vaping is controlled through proper retail regulation.
✅ Black markets are minimized.
✅ Adult smokers have legal access to a harm reduction tool.
By banning vapes, the Australian government is driving people back to smoking, strengthening criminal networks, and failing to protect youth. A legal, regulated market is the real solution.