Australian e-cigarette regulations hit cold in first month: pharmacies only sell 3500 prescriptions,pharmacists remain cautious

Australian e-cigarette regulations hit cold in first month: pharmacies only sell 3500 prescriptions, pharmacists remain cautious

The electronic cigarettes launched in Australia were included in the pharmacy product plan, with slow sales in the first month, only 3500 times sold, and many pharmacists were unwilling to sell electronic cigarettes due to ethical or cumbersome procedures, resulting in black market electronic cigarette prices soaring to 40 to 60 Australian dollars.

According to Watoday's report on November 9th, despite an estimated one million Australians using e-cigarettes, pharmacies sold only 3500 in the first month of a federal government plan to include e-cigarettes in pharmacy products to combat the black market.

 

There are approximately 5800 pharmacies across Australia, but data shows that thousands of pharmacies have not issued any prescriptions for e-cigarette products. The initial policy analysis by the federal government assumed that approximately 450000 people would seek medical electronic cigarette products once illegal products became more difficult to obtain.

 

But many pharmacists say they are unwilling to sell e-cigarettes due to ethical reasons or because the process is too cumbersome. Illegal electronic cigarettes are still widely available, but prices have skyrocketed to AUD 40 to AUD 60 per device as retailers raise prices to compensate for higher penalties.

 

Last week, during a Senate estimation meeting, officials stated that they are currently not tracking how many pharmacies are selling e-cigarettes. Chief Medical Officer Tony Lawler said that obtaining a clear answer is actually quite difficult.

 

Health department official Chris Bedford provided data on pharmacies selling e-cigarette products after patient consultations. He stated that these sales totaled 3500 times across Australia, and pharmacists can distribute multiple e-cigarette products based on notifications, so patients will go in and have conversations.

 

Opposition health spokesperson Anne Ruston stated that the number of e-cigarettes sold in pharmacies last month was only a small fraction of the estimated number of e-cigarette users in Australia.

 

We know that most pharmacists do not want to become tobacco merchants, which is clearly reflected in the department's numbers

 

Due to the lack of electronic cigarette products listed in the Australian registered therapeutic product catalog, pharmacists must issue and sell unapproved products. This makes pharmacists cautious about the supply of electronic cigarettes. Data from the pharmacy industry shows that most people are not willing to stock up on e-cigarettes, with a survey finding that 86% of pharmacies do not stock up on e-cigarettes.

 

Richard Lee, CEO of pharmaceutical company Liber Pharmaceuticals, stated that despite the slow start, the e-cigarette program in pharmacies is progressing within a reasonable range. The reason for the slow progress is partly due to the timing of the introduction of the new regulations and the interval between their implementation stages. Li expects that pharmacies will gradually adapt to the new regulations and achieve significant growth in the next three to six months.