Helen Haines (Indi, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Therapeutic Goods and Other Legislation Amendment (Vaping Reforms) Bill 2024, which amends the Therapeutic Goods Act. This bill bans the importation, domestic manufacture, supply, commercial possession and advertisement of disposable single-use and non-therapeutic vapes.

I welcome these long-overdue reforms to curb the use of vapes in Australia. As a former nurse and regional health researcher, I've dedicated my life to improving the health outcomes of regional and rural Australians. Health—including, importantly, preventive health—is a key concern for the people I represent, the people of Indi. I've long shared my constituents' concerns about the prevalence of vaping, most particularly among young people. While I acknowledge the need for some patients to access therapeutic vapes to help manage their nicotine dependence, the reforms proposed in this bill are much-needed safeguards against the growing health risks posed by the vaping industry.

My office has heard from concerned parents, school principals and health professionals worried about the use of vapes by children, particularly in our schools. I share these concerns, because youth vaping has increased significantly in recent years. According to the latest Australian Institute of Health and Welfare statistics, one in two people aged 18 to 24 have experimented with vape use at least once in their lifetime, and the current use of vapes among young women has increased from 2.4 per cent in 2019 to a staggering 20 per cent in 2023. Lung Foundation Australia reports that, in 2023, 14.5 per cent of all teenagers aged 14 to 17 years old were currently vaping, increasing to 20 per cent for young Australians aged 18 to 24 years. These, in anybody's language, are shocking statistics.

With so many young people now addicted to vaping, I have serious concerns about how these products are advertised and targeted at young people. Most of these vapes come in novelty fruit and confectionery flavours, are sold alongside lollies and popcorn and are designed specifically to appeal to young people. They're positioned as healthier alternatives to cigarettes, but we find ourselves on track to creating another generation of addiction, with elevated risks of serious health issues.

The increase in vaping has translated to three times as many teenagers taking up smoking. Teen smoking in Australia hasn't risen in decades, but here we are. A Curtin University study tested the chemicals of 52 flavoured e-liquids available for sale over the counter in Australia and widely used in vapes. The research revealed a toxic cocktail of ingredients, highlighting the significant—

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