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The new year has begun well for vaping...
Peak GP body supports vaping
In a huge step forward for vaping in Australia, the peak Australian GP body, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners recently announced its support for vaping for smokers who are unable to quit with other methods (more here). Essentially this approval gives GPs permission to recommend vaping as a quitting aid.
This decision by the College of GPs will be very influential and is expected to impact the views of other medical and health organisations. The decision was of global interest and Colin appeared on RegulatorWatch to discuss it further.
ATHRA is planning training, lectures and information to upskill GPs about vaping and how to write a prescription for nicotine liquid. ATHRA can send instructions and more information to your GP if you send us their name and email address.
ATHRA gets many queries about how to get a nicotine script. Please inform us of any GPs who are now writing nicotine prescriptions so we can share that information with others.
ATHRA campaigns
ATHRA recently ran two mini-campaigns. Our 95% safer campaign in late December 2019 outlined the evidence for the relative safety of vaping and encouraged smokers to switch as a New Year’s Resolution. More here.
On World Cancer Day (4 February 2020) we highlighted the substantial cancer risk reduction for smokers who switch to vaping. Cancer Council Australia’s opposition to vaping will increase cancer rates, but our frequent appeals to them fall on deaf ears. More here.
Vaping works
A recent Australian study confirmed what most vapers already know: that vaping is an effective quitting method and can help reduce smoking rates in Australia. Vaping opponents will now need to invent other arguments to justify their objections. More here.
Misinformation about vaping
Misinformation on vaping is still rife in Australia at all levels of government and public health. The Australian Department of Health is still falsely claiming that nicotine vaping could cause serious lung disease (EVALI) and US authorities are obsessed with a “youth epidemic”. These and other myths are debunked in an excellent video by Professor Robert West and a review by Clive Bates.
The Northern Territory government still claims that it is illegal to possess liquid nicotine, even with a prescription. ATHRA has engaged solicitors who have written to the Minister challenging the legal basis of this ruling. We are still waiting for a response. Thank you for those who donated to the legal fund.
Petition to Parliament
Finally, we ask all supporters to sign the Legalise Vaping Australia petition which will be presented to federal Parliament. Please sign the petition to legalise nicotine in Australia and share the link with your network.
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IN A MAJOR POLICY SHIFT, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners has supported vaping nicotine as an option for some Australian smokers in the latest national smoking cessation guidelines published today. The peak GP organisation has carefully reviewed all the evidence on the effectiveness...
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It is often said that vaping is 95% safer than smoking. Is this figure just plucked out of the air as some critics claim or is it based on solid scientific evidence? This video and article outline the science that underpins this figure and the...
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TODAY IS WORLD CANCER DAY. If you are a smoker, the best way to reduce your risk of cancer is to quit smoking. If you can’t quit, the next best thing is to switch to vaping. Smoking is the leading cause of cancer in Australia...
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THE LATEST SCIENTIFIC REVIEW of vaping nicotine has concluded it is an effective quitting aid for smokers and could substantially reduce smoking rates in Australia. The peer-reviewed study by Australian academics Conjoint Associate Professor Colin Mendelsohn, Professor Wayne Hall and Professor Ron Borland was published...
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In this video, Professor Robert West from University College London explains the hysteria and many myths that have developed around vaping nicotine. Via The Economist. The evidence does not support a 'youth epidemic' in the US. Most vaping is by young people who are already...
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The media is full of bias and misinformation about vaping and it can be hard to find the truth. Leading tobacco harm expert Clive Bates has done this for us and gives answers to the common questions asked about vaping. Clive is a former director...
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