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A.L.I.V.E. ADVOCACY MOVEMENT POLICY STATEMENT 

 

Executive Summary

The Australian government has an unparalleled opportunity to lead a transformative public health revolution by adopting evidence-based policies on vaping. Smoking remains one of the most significant causes of preventable death and disease, claiming thousands of lives each year and imposing immense costs on the healthcare system. Vaping has emerged as a powerful harm-reduction tool, offering smokers a significantly less harmful alternative to combustible tobacco.

Our recommendations are designed to balance public health gains with addressing legitimate concerns about youth uptake, product safety, and misinformation. By embracing these measures, the government can modernise its approach to tobacco control and save countless lives.

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Key Recommendations:

• Implement evidence-based regulation for vaping products to ensure they meet stringent safety and quality standards.

• Differentiate taxation policies to reflect the reduced harm of vaping compared to smoking, incentivising smokers to switch.

• Ensure adult smokers have access to safer alternatives by maintaining legal, regulated retail and online channels.

• Introduce targeted youth prevention measures that deter underage access without limiting adult options.

• Launch comprehensive public education campaigns to address widespread misinformation and build trust in harm-reduction strategies.

 

Context and Rationale

Smoking-related illnesses are among the leading causes of preventable deaths in Australia, with thousands of Australians losing their lives every year to diseases such as lung cancer, heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These illnesses also burden the healthcare system, costing billions of dollars annually in treatment and lost productivity.

Despite decades of robust tobacco control policies, including public smoking bans, plain packaging, and excise taxes, the decline in smoking rates has plateaued. Traditional smoking cessation methods, such as nicotine replacement therapy and behavioural counselling, have had limited success for many smokers. This leaves a significant proportion of smokers unable to quit using conventional means, perpetuating the cycle of harm.

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Vaping: A Lifeline for Smokers

Vaping offers a groundbreaking solution for those who have struggled to quit smoking. Unlike combustible cigarettes, which produce harmful tar and thousands of toxic chemicals, vaping delivers nicotine in a vapour form without combustion. This fundamental difference dramatically reduces the risks associated with tobacco use.

• Public Health England (PHE) and other respected health authorities have confirmed that vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking.

• Countries that have embraced harm-reduction policies, such as New Zealand, have experienced significant declines in smoking prevalence, demonstrating the potential impact of progressive vaping regulations.

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The Australian government has a unique opportunity to leverage these insights and incorporate vaping into a broader, more effective tobacco control strategy. By doing so, Australia can lead the way in reducing smoking-related harm and improving public health outcomes.

 

Policy Recommendations

 

Regulation and Standards

Effective regulation is the cornerstone of any harm-reduction strategy. To maximise the safety and efficacy of vaping products, the Australian government should implement the following consumer safety-based regulations:

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1. Mandatory quality and safety standards: Establish comprehensive regulations for all vaping products, covering manufacturing processes, labelling, packaging, and ingredient transparency. These standards will ensure that consumers have access to products that meet strict safety protocols, reducing the risk of harmful exposure.

2. Nicotine content regulation: Set clear yet reasonable limits on nicotine levels to strike a balance between for providing effective smoking cessation.  Detailed, accurate labelling will allow consumers to make informed choices about nicotine consumption.

3. Address misleading health claims from the government: Enforce clear guidelines to correct any misleading or unsubstantiated health claims made by the government regarding vaping. While accurate, evidence-based information about the relative risks of vaping compared to smoking should be communicated, it is essential to prevent government messaging that could mislead the public about the safety and efficacy of vaping as a harm-reduction tool. This will ensure consumers receive trustworthy and balanced information, fostering informed decision-making.

4. Protect consumer choice: Implement regulations that support consumer autonomy while ensuring safety. This includes allowing adults access to various vaping products, provided they meet strict safety and quality standards, and enabling informed decision-making through clear labelling and transparent product information. Ensuring consumers can make choices that best suit their needs, without undue restriction, will empower them to make informed decisions regarding harm reduction options.

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Taxation

Tax policy plays a critical role in influencing consumer behaviour. The Australian government should:

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• Avoid excessive taxation on vaping products, as this could discourage smokers from switching to safer alternatives and push consumers towards black-market products.

• Differentiate vaping products from traditional tobacco in tax policy to reflect reduced harm. Lower taxes on vaping products can incentivise smokers to transition away from combustible cigarettes.

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Access

Ensuring that adult smokers can access safer alternatives is vital to the success of harm-reduction policies.

To achieve this, the government should:

• Maintain legal and regulated retail and online channels for vaping products to prevent the emergence of unregulated markets, which often lack safety oversight.

• Avoid prohibition-style policies restricting access, as these measures risk driving consumers to unsafe, black-market alternatives and undermining public health objectives.

 

Youth Prevention and Education

Safeguarding underage never smoking youths from vaping initiation, especially via the blackmarket.

The government should:

Introduce robust age verification systems and enforce strict penalties for non-compliance to deter youth access to vaping products.

 

Public Education

Education is crucial for addressing misconceptions and fostering confidence in harm-reduction strategies. The Australian government government should:

• Fund comprehensive public education campaigns to inform both the public and healthcare professionals about the benefits of vaping as a smoking cessation tool.

• Collaborate with trusted organisations, independent experts, and consumer groups to counteract misinformation and provide evidence-based resources on the relative risks of vaping and smoking.

• Partner with independent experts to ensure that the information shared is scientifically rigorous and reflects the latest research.

• Engage with consumers directly to understand their experiences and provide accurate, clear guidance tailored to their needs.

 

International Comparisons

Lessons from countries that have embraced pragmatic vaping policies provide compelling evidence for their effectiveness:

• In the United Kingdom, progressive harm-reduction strategies, including widespread access to regulated vaping products, have accelerated declines in smoking prevalence and reduced smoking-related healthcare costs.

• Sweden, known for its innovative approach to tobacco harm reduction, has one of the lowest smoking rates in the world due to the availability of safer alternatives.

• New Zealand has successfully integrated vaping into its broader public health strategy, significantly reducing smoking rates without creating a significant uptick in youth vaping.

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By adopting similar evidence-based approaches, the government can position Australia as a global leader in tobacco harm reduction, demonstrating that public health goals and harm-reduction strategies can coexist effectively.

 

Economic and Social Benefits

The adoption of progressive vaping policies would deliver substantial economic and social benefits, including:

• Reduced healthcare costs: Preventing smoking-related diseases will ease the financial burden on the healthcare system, freeing up resources for other pressing public health needs.

• Increased productivity: Helping smokers transition to healthier alternatives will reduce smoking-related absenteeism and improve overall workforce health.

• Economic growth and innovation: A regulated vaping market will support job creation and stimulate innovation in the health technology sector.

 

By fostering a balanced regulatory environment, the Australian government can unlock the full potential of vaping as a harm-reduction tool while maintaining strong safeguards against misuse and unintended consequences.

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In Conclusion:

We strongly urge the Australian government to seize this critical opportunity to modernise Australia’s approach to tobacco control. By implementing evidence-based vaping policies, Australia can dramatically reduce smoking rates, improve public health outcomes, and set a global example in harm reduction.

This is a chance to lead a public health revolution, saving lives and creating a healthier future for all Australians. Let’s work together to develop informed, balanced policies and prioritise public health over ideology. The time to act is now, and the potential rewards are transformative.

 

References

https://colinmendelsohn.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Mendelsohn-CP-et-al.-Do-the-differing-vaping-and-smoking-trends-in-Aus-and-NZ-reflect-different-regulatory-policies.-Addiction-2025.pdf

https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/27/1/10

https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010216.pub9/full

https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/the-public-health-agency-of-sweden/living-conditions-and-lifestyle/andtg/tobacco/use-of-tobacco-and-nicotine-products/

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