Australia restricts sale of e-cigarettes to pharmacies with a doctor's prescription

Australia has announced new restrictions on the sale of e-cigarettes, also known as vapes, in an effort to discourage young people from taking up smoking. From now on, e-cigarettes will only be available in pharmacies with a doctor's prescription, and the number of flavors will be limited. The country's health minister, Mark Butler, will also increase taxes on nicotine by 5% per year for the next three years to discourage smoking. The move comes as the government believes e-cigarettes are an attractive way for young people to start smoking due to the sweet flavors they can contain.

However, for those who want to quit smoking, e-cigarettes will be easier to access through a prescription from any doctor. The government estimates the cost of the new plan to be AUD 234 million ($142.7 million) and expects the tax increase to generate AUD 3.3 billion ($2 billion).