Prescription Nicotine E-Cigarettes are available here for eligible patients
If you are considering quitting smoking and would like to speak with a doctor about your options, you can speak with a doctor through smartstop. Simply visit our website and follow the instructions to create an account. Then, you can request a Free Doctor Consult and speak with a registered healthcare professional.
Continue reading for more prescription vaping information and nicotine prescription info in Australia.
In Australia, it is illegal to sell or supply nicotine in any form (including e-cigarettes) without a prescription from a medical practitioner. This law was enacted on October 1, 2021, and is based on the classification of nicotine as a Schedule 4 Poison under the Australian Poisons Standard. However, nicotine-free e-cigarettes can be purchased and used without a prescription.
Vaping and smoking are two different methods of consuming nicotine. While both methods involve inhaling a vapourised form of the substance, they differ in the way the vapour is produced and the potential risks and benefits associated with each method.
Smoking involves inhaling smoke produced by burning tobacco leaves, which releases a variety of harmful chemicals in the process. Several studies (like this one, which confirms and analyses the link between smoking and lung disease) have linked the use of tobacco with a range of debilitating illnesses, including several types of cancer, heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Globally, smoking is one of the main causes of chronic disease and premature death. Vaping, on the other hand, involves the inhalation of vapour produced by an electronic cigarette that heats a liquid – typically containing nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals. Results from toxicological analyses indicate that the vapour produced by electronic cigarettes is less harmful than the smoke produced by traditional cigarettes, as it does not contain many of the carcinogenic chemicals produced by burning tobacco.
While vaping may be less harmful than smoking, it is important to be aware that it is not a completely safe alternative. Harmful effects from short-term e-cigarette use have been reported, and further research is needed to fully understand the associated long-term health effects.
While several studies suggest that vaping is a safer alternative to smoking (including this one published in the National Library of Medicine), electronic cigarettes are still considered to be harmful. Vaping devices release aerosols containing many toxic substances, including nicotine, heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, and poly-cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The long-term health effects of vaping are not yet fully understood, however the short-term side effects include nausea, vomiting, mouth and airway irritation, chest pain, and heart palpitations.
Unlike vaping, both the short- and long-term health effects of smoking have been widely reported and confirmed through scientific studies and metadata (like this one, which reviews the magnitude of smoking-related cancer incidences and deaths in Australia). Among the thousands of chemicals found in tobacco smoke, at least 60 are known carcinogens. Tobacco use can have serious negative effects on almost every organ in the body, and long-term smoking is associated with a wide range of chronic and terminal diseases.
One of the main health effects of smoking is an increased risk of lung cancer. It is estimated that more than 80% of all cases of lung cancer are caused by smoking. Other types of cancers that are associated with smoking include those affecting the throat, mouth, bladder, kidney, and pancreas.
The chemicals in tobacco smoke can also damage the blood vessels, leading to a buildup of plaque and an increased risk of blood clots which can result in a heart attack, stroke, or coronary artery disease. Smoking can also cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.
‘Secondhand smoke’, which is the smoke exhaled by a smoker or produced by the burning end of a cigarette, can also cause serious health problems in non-smoking adults and children who are exposed to it. Secondhand smoking has been linked to lung cancer and heart disease in adults, and a range of respiratory problems in children.
If you’ve already received a prescription for a nicotine product, please check out Smart Stop’s range of products today!
Smartstop products are not registered on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) and can only be prescribed through the Special Access Scheme (SAS), the Authorised Prescriber Scheme (AP) or by Clinical Trial as they are unapproved therapeutic goods. Unapproved therapeutic goods have not been evaluated for quality, safety, efficacy or performance. Therefore, the prescribing health practitioner must consider the available evidence to support the use of the unapproved product and any potential risks for the individual patient. The responsibilities of the prescribing health practitioner include adhering to relevant standards of the goods medical practice and obtaining informed consent. The long-term health risks of unapproved nicotine vaping products, even those that comply with TGO 110, are still unclear. Patients can also call Quitline 13 78 48 or visit the Quit Now website. Smartstop is a pharmacy marketing group on behalf of Amcal Pharmacy Prahran.
For more information on nicotine vaping regulations, please click here.
