On December 7th, according to foreign news reports, two thirds of e-cigarette products seized by Australian law enforcement agencies from three companies in Canberra contained dangerous and prohibited ingredients.
In October, a joint action by ACT Health and Therapeutic Goods Administration removed a large number of e-cigarette products from these companies, and found that two-thirds of the products were not labeled with nicotine.
Since October 1, nicotine e-cigarette products supplied in Australia require a doctor’s prescription and must also meet specific labeling, packaging and ingredient requirements.
None of the seized products met these requirements.
Two-thirds of the seized products also contained ingredients prohibited by law-including the flavoring agent diacetyl, which can cause irreversible lung damage after inhalation.
Nicotine e-cigarette products that are commonly used to help quit smoking are classified as prescription drugs-which means that it is illegal for any business other than pharmacies to sell them.
This measure aims to prevent young people from smoking through e-cigarettes.