Over the course of recent years, vaping has grown in popularity in Australia. With its rising popularity has come no shortage of questions regarding vaping products, their use, and how they’re regulated. Here are four facts about vaping that all vapers in the country should be aware of.
Before jumping right into what these four facts are and what they entail, it should be noted why they’re important.
Why These Vaping Facts Matter
The reason why Aussies who vape should be aware of the information below is simple: all of these facts are relevant to all vapers in the country.
1. Vaping Products Are Regulated In Australia
The Therapeutic Goods Administration, part of the Australian Government Department of Health, requires consumers in Australia to have a valid prescription in order to legally import nicotine vaping products from overseas suppliers for personal use or to purchase them from Australian pharmacies. As a result, it is necessary to first obtain a prescription from an Australian doctor before buying any nicotine vaping products.
Vape shops and convenience stores in Australia are prohibited from selling nicotine vaping products to consumers, even if the consumer has a valid prescription from an Australian doctor.
Consumers with valid prescriptions have two options for purchasing nicotine vaping products. They can either import them from an overseas supplier’s online vape shop or they can purchase them from an Australian pharmacy.
2. Vaping Etiquette Is Very Much A Real Thing
While there is some disagreement over the specifics of what exactly vaping etiquette entails or should entail, the fact is that vaping etiquette is absolutely real and vapers should take this into account. Proper etiquette dictates where and when it’s socially acceptable to vape, how to vape, how to share vaping devices, and so forth.
Some of the more obvious unwritten rules for not being rude while vaping include:
- Don’t blow vapour clouds in someone’s face.
- Never vape where it is not permitted.
- Always ask before vaping in someone’s residence, vehicle, business, etc.
- Avoid being a snob when it comes to your vaping device.
- Respect the personal space of others.
- Consider what e-liquid flavours you’re using and how they smell to others.
- Respect the viewpoints of others.
- Avoid vaping at meals.
So if you’re a vaper, it may be in your best interest and the best interest of those around you to consider vaping etiquette before you vape. It is also important to know the vaping laws for the area that you are in.
3. Vaping’s Long-Term Implications Are Unknown
Despite the evidence that suggests vaping is less harmful than smoking, the long-term implications of vaping are not yet fully understood due to the limited amount of time that researchers have had to study it. However, based on the scientific evidence that is available, the governments of the United Kingdom and New Zealand recommend smokers in their countries switch completely to vaping.
In the context of harm-reduction, Dr Ryan Courtney (PhD), a senior lecturer in health behaviour science at UNSW, said that “vaporised nicotine products frequently do present as a potentially safer option, but there haven’t been the long-term studies that have looked at outcomes”.
4. Research Has Found Vaping To Be Effective
A clinical trial carried out in the UK that was published in 2019 found that smokers were twice as likely to succeed in quitting smoking when using nicotine vaping products in combination with professional face-to-face support as smokers who used nicotine replacement products such as gum or patches. The study also found that vaping was associated with greater reductions in cough and phlegm production after one year.
In a separate study, researchers conducted an analysis of 61 studies and found that the studies showed vaping to be more effective than other smoking cessation methods, such as behavioural counselling and patches.
More Facts About Vaping
With the rise of vaping many questions have arisen. To cover some of the most common questions, here are some additional facts about vaping and vaping products.
What Is A Vape?
A “vape” is an electronic vaping device that heats a substance known as e-liquid to produce an aerosol that can be inhaled. Vapes are typically powered by a battery. The three main components of vaping devices are a battery, clearomiser or tank, and e-liquid. The vape’s battery sends a current through the coil inside the clearomiser and this in turn heats the e-liquid as the coil of resistance wire is wrapped around a wick or cotton that is saturated in e-liquid.
What Is E-Liquid?
The “e-liquid” inside of vaping devices is often composed of water, flavourings, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and nicotine. Not all e-liquids contain nicotine, as there are nicotine-free e-liquids on the market today. Vape liquid goes by other names as well, such as e-juice and vape juice. As there are many types of e-liquid on the market, the exact ingredients can greatly differ from one e-liquid product to the next.
What Is Vaping?
The word “vaping” is used to describe the action of inhaling and exhaling the aerosol produced by a vaping device. The aerosol produced by a vaping device is often referred to as vapour.
