New South Wales state MP Michael Johnsen, who represents the Upper Hunter, is one of many Australians who has used nicotine vaping products like e-cigarettes to quit smoking. Unlike most Australians, Johnsen is a politician with a voice that’s heard by many. His story, which can be seen in the video below, is fairly typical for smokers who use vaping products to quit smoking.
After numerous failed attempts to quit smoking, Johnsen made the switch to vaping and managed to successfully bring his cigarette addiction to an end. Following his successful quit, he gave an interview to the Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association, known as ATHRA for short.
Here’s the video of his interview courtesy of ATHRA on YouTube:
Johnsen is now calling on the government of NSW to recognise that vaping is a proven smoking cessation method that is safer than cigarettes. He also wants the government to support a vape manufacturing industry based in NSW and to use the revenue that the new industry creates to support a new regional health fund. On top of all this, he wants the NSW Poisons list to be amended to exclude nicotine when it’s used in vaping products.
If you believe what Johnsen believes and would like to see nicotine vaping legalised in New South Wales, then visit VapeTheState.com.au and add your name to show your support.
While Johnsen calls on the government to recognise the overwhelming evidence that vaping is far less harmful than smoking, there are also other reasons why he believes nicotine vapes should be readily accessible to adult Australians: freedom of choice and less government.
“If people wish to vape instead of smoke, we should be allowing them to make that free choice.”
“As someone who believes in less government, not more, I do not believe we should be telling people what to do and how to do it. If people wish to vape instead of smoke, we should be allowing them to make that free choice,” Johnsen was quoted by the Muswellbrook Chronicle as having said.
