E-cigarettes in Australia will become available by mid-next year, but only with a doctor’s prescription, as determined by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) on 22 September, The Guardian reported.

The TGA announced in its interim decision that nicotine would be reclassified as a prescription-only medication, meaning nicotine for use in e-cigarettes, and e-juice containing nicotine, would become prescription-only from June 2021. The changes would also apply to heat-not-burn tobacco products, chewing tobacco, snuff and other novel nicotine products, the report said.
Existing state and territory laws make the sale of nicotine e-cigarettes and e-juice illegal throughout Australia and its possession illegal everywhere except in South Australia.
In a statement, the TGA said the proposed changes meant that “while you would still be able to use the ‘personal importation scheme’ under the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 to order online from your usual supplier … it would be clear that you would be required to have a prescription”.