27 March 2024: 

" I acknowledge I am a late addition to the speaking list. I rise to speak strongly in favour of the Therapeutic Goods and Other Legislation Amendment (Vaping Reforms) Bill 2024 to ban the importations, manufacture, supply and commercial possession of disposable, single-use, non-therapeutic vapes while preserving the legitimate patient access to therapeutic vapes through pharmacy settings for people who choose to use vapes as a way to try to manage their nicotine dependence."

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Lisa Chesters Is Wrong, Here's Why:

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Lisa Chesters’ speech is filled with misinformation, fear-based rhetoric, and a lack of evidence-based policy thinking. Below is a detailed rebuttal of her main claims, supported by scientific research and public health data.

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1. Youth Vaping Concerns Are Overstated

Chesters claims, “A lot of young Australians don’t know how dangerous vapes are, and that is alarming.”

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• Fact: The real concern should be youth smoking, which is far more dangerous than vaping. Countries with widespread vaping have seen smoking rates plummet, including among youth.

• Most youth who vape are already at risk of smoking due to shared risk factors, such as peer influence and personality traits.

• Regular vaping among never-smokers is uncommon, and most youth vaping is experimental and short-term.

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2. Vaping Is NOT as Harmful as Smoking

Chesters claims, “This is as bad as smoking, if not worse.”

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• Fact: This is completely false. Every major health authority that has studied vaping—including the UK NHS and Cancer Research UK—concludes that vaping is far less harmful than smoking.

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• Smoking releases thousands of toxic chemicals through combustion, whereas vaping contains only a fraction of these, at much lower levels.

• Cancer Research UK confirms that vaping does not cause cancer.

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3. Nicotine Alone Is NOT the Cause of Smoking-Related Diseases

Chesters claims, “We know the science is in, we know how addictive these products are and we know the damage that has been done.”

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• Fact: The harm from smoking is caused by burning tobacco, not nicotine.

• Nicotine, while addictive, is relatively benign in the doses found in vapes—it does not cause cancer, lung disease, or heart disease.

• Nicotine has been used safely in patches and gum for decades without the health risks associated with smoking.

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4. The "Next Generation of Smokers" Claim Is False

Chesters claims, “We’re just going to create the next generation of consumers and of cigarettes and vaping.”

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• Fact: Countries with regulated vaping markets (UK, New Zealand) have seen smoking rates drop, not rise.

• Youth vaping does not necessarily lead to smoking. In fact, evidence suggests vaping is displacing smoking, not encouraging it.

• The “gateway theory” is not supported by real-world data.

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5. The Flavors and Marketing Argument Is Misleading

Chesters claims, “The manufacturers use flavors and design to target young people.”

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• Fact: Flavors are essential for adult smokers trying to quit. Studies show that adults who use non-tobacco flavors are more likely to successfully quit smoking.

• The real problem is illegal black-market products, not legal, regulated sales.

• In the UK and New Zealand, strict regulations on legal sales have significantly reduced youth access without banning flavors.

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6. The Prescription-Only Model Has Been a Complete Failure

Chesters supports a pharmacy-only model for vaping, ignoring that:

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• The black market has exploded under Australia’s current prescription model, making it easier for youth to access illegal, unregulated vapes.

• Adult smokers struggle to access vapes legally, meaning more of them continue smoking.

• Countries that regulate vaping as a consumer product have seen safer, controlled sales with strict age enforcement.

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7. The “One in Six High School Students Vape” Claim Is Misleading

Chesters claims, “One in six high school students have recently vaped, and they didn’t know it was as bad as smoking.”

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• Fact: Most youth who try vaping do so experimentally and do not become regular users.

• Youth smoking rates have continued to decline in countries where vaping is available, suggesting that vaping is replacing smoking, not fueling it.

• This statistic does not distinguish between occasional and frequent use, making it misleading.

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8. The Idea That "Regulating Vapes Condemns a Generation" Is Backward

Chesters claims, “Regulating vapes just condemns a generation of young people.”

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• Fact: Prohibition has always failed—banning products creates black markets, making the issue worse.

• A well-regulated, legal vaping market (like in the UK and New Zealand) has proven to reduce youth access and protect public health.

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9. The Link Between Vaping and Other Diseases Is Unproven

Chesters claims, “There are high correlations between asbestos-related disease and smoking.”

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• Fact: This is completely irrelevant to vaping. There is no asbestos in vapes, nor any established link between vaping and asbestos-related disease.

• This is a fear-mongering tactic with no scientific basis.

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10. The Environmental Argument Is Hypocritical

Chesters claims, “Single-use vapes are an environmental disaster.”

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• Fact: Cigarette butts are the most common form of litter worldwide, causing far greater environmental harm.

• Vapes can be recycled, and the real solution is proper disposal programs, not banning them.

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Lisa Chesters’ speech relies on misinformation, exaggerated youth vaping fears, and a complete misunderstanding of harm reduction.

🔹 Prohibition has never worked—it only fuels the black market and increases youth access.
🔹 Countries that regulate vaping properly (UK, and New Zealand) have seen smoking rates plummet.
🔹 The best solution is a regulated, legal consumer market with strict age restrictions and product safety controls.