27 March 2024:

 

"I rise to speak to the Therapeutic Goods and Other Legislation Amendment (Vaping Reforms) Bill 2024. As a sportsperson, I make no apology for being strongly against smoking and vaping. It is disappointing to see that the parliament is not united behind this ban and ensuring that it happens, because it is incredibly important."

Full Speech Here>> 

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Zali Steggall Is Wrong, Here's Why:

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Zali Steggall's speech in support of the Therapeutic Goods and Other Legislation Amendment (Vaping Reforms) Bill 2024 contains multiple misconceptions about vaping. Below are key rebuttals, supported by evidence from reputable health organizations and researchers.

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1. "Vaping has become a real public health threat."

FACT: Vaping is a harm reduction tool, not a public health threat.

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• The NHS states that nicotine vaping is "substantially less harmful than smoking" and "one of the most effective tools for quitting smoking"​.

• The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) concluded that vaping should be "widely promoted as a substitute for smoking" and that vaping is unlikely to exceed 5% of the risks associated with smoking​.

• Cancer Research UK confirms that e-cigarettes do not contain cancer-causing tobacco, unlike traditional cigarettes​.

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Steggall ignores that smoking remains Australia's biggest cause of preventable death, and vaping offers a safer alternative to those struggling to quit.

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2. "Big Tobacco is behind the vaping industry."

FACT: Most vaping products are independent of Big Tobacco.

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• The majority of the vaping industry consists of small independent businesses, and many tobacco companies entered the vaping market late in response to its success​.

• If Big Tobacco is influencing vaping policies, it would make no sense for them to support bans on a growing industry, particularly when cigarettes remain legally available.

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This argument is a distraction from the real issue: how to regulate vaping in a way that maximizes harm reduction while preventing youth uptake.

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3. "A vaping ban is necessary to protect young people."

FACT: Prohibition does not work—it fuels a black market.

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• Australia's prescription-only model has already failed to prevent youth vaping, leading to a thriving black market controlled by criminal networks​.

• Banning vapes entirely will not stop youth access—it will increase the availability of unregulated, unsafe products​.

• The UK approach, where vaping is regulated but accessible to adult smokers, has been more successful in controlling youth access while reducing smoking rates​.

Instead of bans, Australia needs a regulated consumer market with strict age verification to prevent youth access while allowing smokers to quit.

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4. "Vapes cause significant health risks including brain damage, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and cancer."

FACT: There is no credible evidence supporting these extreme claims.

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• No evidence supports vaping causing cancer. Cancer Research UK states that "there is no good evidence that vaping causes cancer"​.

• The NHS confirms that most of the harmful chemicals in cigarettes (tar, carbon monoxide) are not found in vape aerosol​.

• The Royal College of Physicians found no evidence that passive exposure to vape aerosol is harmful​.

• Popcorn lung is a myth—diacetyl, the chemical previously linked to popcorn lung, has been banned from e-liquids in many countries and no cases have been linked to vaping​.

While vaping is not risk-free, its risks are minimal compared to smoking, and misinformation should not be used to justify bans.

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5. "Flavors and marketing target children."

FACT: Flavors help adult smokers switch.

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• Research from ASH UK and the NHS finds that flavored e-liquids play a crucial role in helping adults quit smoking​.

• A study published in Public Health England shows that most young people who try vaping do not become regular users and that youth vaping is largely experimental​.

• Youth vaping has increased, but youth smoking has declined significantly—this suggests vaping may be diverting young people away from smoking​.

Instead of banning flavors, regulations should focus on restricting marketing to children while preserving flavors for adult smokers.

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6. "Vapes are an environmental hazard."

FACT: Cigarettes are far worse for the environment.

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• Cigarette butts are the most littered item worldwide, while disposable vapes are recyclable if properly disposed of​.

• The focus should be on better recycling policies and public education, not banning an effective harm reduction tool.

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7. "Youth vaping leads to nicotine addiction and disrupts learning."

FACT: The majority of youth vapers are not regular users, and nicotine dependence is lower in vapers than smokers.

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• Public Health England and ASH UK report that regular vaping among young people is uncommon, particularly among non-smokers​.

• Nicotine in vaping is less addictive than in cigarettes, as vaping delivers nicotine more slowly and in lower doses​.

• The biggest risk to youth remains smoking, and restricting access to regulated vaping products may push some towards combustible tobacco​.

Again, the real solution is strong age verification and regulation, not prohibition.

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• Vaping is not a public health threat but a harm reduction tool.

• A vaping ban will not stop youth use—it will drive it underground.

• The risks of vaping are significantly lower than those of smoking.

• Regulation, not prohibition, is the best way to balance harm reduction and youth protection.

• Environmental concerns should focus on proper recycling, not bans.

• Flavors help adult smokers quit, and youth vaping is often experimental.

Australia needs evidence-based policies, not fear-driven prohibition. The best way forward is regulated legal access for adults, strong enforcement of age restrictions, and continued monitoring of the risks.

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