Colourful and shiny vaping devices that look and taste like lollies have created the "next generation" of nicotine-addicted adults, according to Health Minister Mark Butler, who's vowing to crack down on illegal e-cigarettes.
The government's announced stronger regulations for vaping, arguing it's moving to close the "biggest loophole in Australian health care history".
But what's changing? Is everyone on board? And how will the government enforce it?
Let's take a closer look.
First things first. What's changing?
Quite a lot.
The government will ban imports of non-prescription vaping products (vapes that aren't supposed to have nicotine in them), and it's also banning single-use disposable vapes.
Vapes will now only be available in pharmacies — rather than retail stores — and they will also need to have plain packaging, with plain flavours.
"These are supposed to be pharmaceutical products, so they will have to present that way," Mr Butler said.
"No more bubblegum flavours or pink unicorn packaging."
The government says it still recognises there's a therapeutic use for vapes with nicotine in them to help long-term smokers quit cigarettes, and for that reason it will authorise all GPs to provide scripts for patients to obtain vapes if they need them.
Currently only 1 in 20 doctors are authorised to prescribe vapes — and Mr Butler says that has to change.
Why is the government making this move?
Simply put — vapes are a threat to public health, according to the health minister.
They were initially meant to be a therapeutic product to help people who couldn't shake their smoking habits transition off cigarettes.
But Mr Butler warns while it was not sold as a recreational product, that is essentially what it has become, describing that as the "biggest loophole in Australian history".
The statistics show 1 in 6 teenagers aged 14-17 have vaped, while 25 per cent of those aged 18-24 have vaped.
The Alcohol and Drug Foundation notes many people who currently vape in Australia are using non-regulated products, and we have "no idea" what's in them — including if there's nicotine or not.
How will the government enforce this?
Those details are still being finalised, but the government says it will ensure there are "strong controls" on the nation's borders to stamp out any black market that emerges.
Illegal vapes are harder to spot at the border than other products like tobacco, as they're small and don't have a strong smell.
Mr Butler says he'll sit down with state and territory governments to make sure authorities are properly resourced to ensure convenience stores aren't breaking the law and selling vapes illegally.
But he notes it won't be easy.
"We are under no illusion about how hard this will be," he said.
"The idea that we would just put a new generation at risk, creating a new generation of nicotine addicts, go untouched is just beyond us. It will be tough, but we are determined to do it."
Aside from enforcement measures, the government will also spend money on education and support, with the budget set to include $30 million for support programs to help Australians quit and $63 million for a national evidence-based information campaign.
What's been the reaction?
Unsurprisingly, the announcement has been welcomed by a range of peak health bodies who have long lobbied for tougher e-cigarette regulation, like the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, the Australian Medical Association (AMA), the Royal Australian College of GPs and the Cancer Council.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has also said the opposition would support measures to reduce vaping rates, saying it's a significant problem that needs to be addressed.
But it's worth noting the Coalition has long been split on the issue, with some backbenchers pushing for vaping to be legalised.
Nationals Senator Matt Canavan said the government had already tried and failed to restrict vaping in the past.
"The way to kill a black market is to establish a legal, regulated market," he said.
"We have a problem with a black market in vapes right now, and no amount of police, no amount of government resources is going to get rid of that black market just like it can't for other drugs."
And some industry groups are unhappy – the Australian Association of Convenience Stores argues vapes should be sold like cigarettes.
What's the next step?
Groups like the AMA now want vapes to be registered by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to ensure they're assessed for safety and quality.
But appearing on the ABC's 7.30 program, Mr Butler said nicotine vaping products won't need to be approved by the national medical regulator in order for doctors to prescribe them, arguing that would be a "long, laborious process".
Instead, he said the products would need to comply with quality standards, like having certain amounts of nicotine, being free of chemicals the TGA lists as being dangerous, and some of the things we touched on in this piece earlier, like plain flavouring and presentation.
"If they are compliant with those standards and can be prescribed by doctors as a smoking cessation device or to help people with nicotine addiction, that is something that will be able to be imported and sold through pharmacies only," he said.
The AMA also argues enforcing the new rules and cracking down on the black market will be key to their effectiveness, arguing governments and enforcement agencies across the country will need to be "vigilant" and work together.
