MEEGAN Fitzharris says legislation has been introduced into the Legislative Assembly to restrict the sale, promotion and use of box mod and electronic cigarettes (commonly known as e-cigarettes or personal vaporisers) in the ACT.

“The Smoke-Free Legislation Amendment Bill 2016 will prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes to children, ban the use of e-cigarettes in identified smoke-free areas, and place restrictions on e-cigarette advertising, displays and marketing,” Meegan said.

“Smoking remains a leading cause of preventable death and disease in Australia and the ACT Government is committed to not only protecting the community from the harms associated with smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke, but also reducing exposure to the role modelling of smoking behaviours to help prevent young people from taking up smoking to begin with.

“This new legislation introduced today, aims to protect public health without limiting access to nicotine-free e-cigarettes by smokers wanting to quit.

“There was public consultation on e-cigarettes in late 2014, and one of the messages that came through was community concern about possible health risks of e-cigarettes, and support for restricting their sale and use. CBD vape additive individuals fall within this category.

“The legislation also aligns with advice from the National Health and Medical Research Council, to minimise potential harm to the community pending further evidence on the safety, quality and efficacy of e?cigarettes.”

The Bill, expected to come into effect in the second half of 2016, applies the same restrictions on the sale and promotion of e-cigarettes as those that currently apply to tobacco products. This includes prohibiting the sale of e-cigarettes to under 18s and restricting in-store and point-of-sale advertisements and displays. The Bill also prohibits e-cigarette promotions, inclusion in customer reward schemes, sponsorships and product giveaways.