Australia bans disposable vape imports from January 1

Australia will ban imports of disposable vapes in January, the Health Minister said on Tuesday, the first step in a crackdown aimed at curbing the growing popularity of these nicotine-filled devices with young people.

The ban will be expanded in March to include all non-therapeutic vapes, including refillable devices, while importers of vapes for medical purposes will need permit from the Office of Drug control, Health Minister Mark Butler said in a statement.

The legislative package will also include a total A$75 million in extra funding for the Australian Border Force and the Therapeutic Goods Administration to enforce the new rules.

Additional legislation next year will apply the same prohibitions to domestic manufacturers.

Despite one of the lowest rates of smoking in the OECD, a group of mostly rich countries, vaping in Australia is growing rapidly, especially among the young. Around one-in-five people aged 18 to 24 vape, according to government data.

First flagged in August, the reforms aim to curb the device's popularity in response to research showing the potential for long-term harm.