Prescription Nicotine E-Cigarettes are available here for eligible patients
Is it safe to vape? There’s a lot of information out there about vaping. We’re here to help you navigate the risks.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners state in the event that people whom have tried first-line therapy and behavioural support but failed and are still motivated to quit smoking, that nicotine vaping products may be a reasonable intervention to recommend along with behavioural support. The long-term effects of vaping on your body have not fully been studied and may have unwanted or unintended effects on your health. Vapes do have inherent dangers that should be considered. Unfortunately on the black market there are fake vapes that can be much more harmful than others, and contain substances that are illegal in Australia. This is one of the reasons why it is important to make sure you always get products that are prescribed #by an Aussie doctor that prescribe products that are compliant to the TGO 110 standards. Even if the Nicotine vaping product is TGO 110 compliant, please understand they are still not TGA approved products and therefore, the safety, efficacy and quality have not been established. If prescribed a nicotine vaping product, It is important you speak to your doctor regularly for reviews and monitoring with clear intention to quit smoking in totality.
For more information on RACGP recommendations:
The World Health Organisation clearly outlines that vaping is not considered safe, though it is “too early to provide a clear answer on the long-term impact.” Similarly, the Australian Government highlights that e-cigs have the potential to be harmful to your health, which is one of the main reasons why nicotine vapes are now only available via prescription in Australia.
Some potential side effects of vaping include:
We recommend you have your prescription filled at an Australian pharmacy as there is a higher likelihood that the product you are receiving complies with the TGO 110 standards. Smartstop nicotine vaping products have been tested in an Australian laboratory to ensure compliance against the TGO 110 standard. Specifically TGA has restricted 8 main ingredients in e-cigarettes as they are proven to be harmful and illegal ingredients:
With vaping, it is important to moderate your intake and maintain control. That’s where Smartstop steps in. We connect you with Aussie doctors and pharmacists who help you quit cigarettes. Importantly, our nicotine vaping products have been tested in Australia by an independent laboratory.
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.
