Public health’s plan for a Smoke Free Future doomed to fail before it’s even begun
A leading grassroots organisation, Legalise Vaping Australia, has today expressed its doubts that attempts by some of Victoria’s health organisations to build a smoke free state by 2025 will come close to being achieved given their opposition to legalising vaping.
Legalise Vaping Australia Campaign Director, Brian Marlow, said: “Whilst we applaud any efforts to help Aussie smokers kick the habit once and for all, the fact of the matter is that hugely expensive education programs, tougher smoking laws, and making it more difficult for smokers to buy cigarettes simply will not work.”
“But there is one thing that works in every other country, and that’s the legalisation of nicotine vaping,” Mr Marlow said.
“Claims that these health organisations will get smoking rates down to 5% by 2025 are fanciful at best. We already have plain packaging, we already have the most expensive cigarettes in the world, every man and his dog knows that smoking kills, and that they absolutely must quit, yet smoking rates have not declined since 2012.”
“Meanwhile, 52 people die everyday from cigarette smoking as a country, we are continuing to deny them the one alternative which international evidence shows will help them quit,” he said.
“In countries where nicotine vaping has been legalised, smoking rates have plummeted. These countries haven’t had to rely on the types of expensive education programs and further restrictions these health groups are proposing. As an example, our closest neighbour New Zealand has seen smoking rates fall by a whopping 3% compared to our abysmal 0.2%. And they have nicotine vaping to thank for that.”
In light of these latest developments, Legalise Vaping Australia is calling on all Australian Health bodies to look at the overwhelming evidence that vaping helps people quit and saves lives.
Legalise Vaping Australia is committed to the legalisation of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes and personal vaporisers for one, clear reason: it helps people quit smoking.
“Vaping has got people off cigarettes in the EU, UK, US, Canada, New Zealand…. The list goes on. We hope Australia will soon follow suit,” Mr Marlow said.
Facts about Vaping:
Vaping is 95% safer than smoking cigarettes
Vaping offers a 60% better quit rate over going cold turkey
In the UK alone, E-cigarettes could be contributing to at least 20,000 successful new quits per year and possibly many more.
Nicotine vaping is legal in the US, Canada, NZ, the UK, and throughout the EU
It is illegal to even possess nicotine vapes in all states and territories, with penalties of up to $45,000 and 2 years in prison.
For more information or to learn more about Legalise Vaping Australia, go to www.legalisevaping.com.au.
Brian Marlow
MEDIA CONTACT
Brian Marlow , Campaign Manager, Legalise Vaping Australia, bmarlow@taxpayers.org.au +61 439 138 826