In response to this, forty two tobacco control and addiction experts from Australia and New Zealand, had written to the MP urging him to rethink setting in place more of what is already failing. In their letter to Butler, the experts amongst whom renowned tobacco treatment expert Dr. Colin Mendelsohn and Dr. Wayne Wodak, an Emeritus Consultant at a Drug and Alcohol Service, had reiterated that further restrictions will keep on feeding an already thriving black market, making potentially unsafe products available for minors. On the other hand, adult smokers would have a tougher time accessing the safer alternatives which are already hard to obtain via legal channels.
Echoing the same concerns, private correspondence by ANACAD members just published under freedom of information, indicates their alarm on learning that harsher vape restrictions are being considered. “The Minister has only been listening to his internal advisers and the anti-vaping health organizations and shutting out all opposing views. However, it will be hard to ignore this,” said Mendelsohn in discussing the event with Vaping Post.
In his own blog post about the matter, the tobacco treatment expert revealed that the council is aware that further vape restrictions would only worsen the situation and that the only way forward is regulating sensibly. The emails also indicate that the council members do not believe in the infamous “Gateway Theory” which has been the driver behind many vape restrictions. The members rightly feel that policy should be informed by scientific evidence.
The emails also reveal that the council members do not believe that vapers should have to see a doctor and that they firmly believe in the effectivity of tobacco harm reduction models. This and more was discussed in detail by Mendelsohn in his blog post. The expert believes that these emails will be hard to ignore. “It is dynamite,” he said.
Controversial deal between Australian pharmacies and PMI
In other news, some Australian pharmacies have agreed to an eye brow raising supply deal with tobacco giant Philip Morris International (PMI) allowing them to sell its VEEV nicotine pods and devices at an 80% margin.
While openly opposing the government’s prescription vaping model, PMI has entered in an agreement with numerous Australian pharmacies. The deal means that PMI is offering the pharmacies an “introductory offer” to supply the nicotine pods and devices at an 80% margin, on the condition that they sign a supply agreement directly with the firm.
Pharmacies will sell the products cheaper than wholesale price
The offer is also on the condition that the pharmacies do not sell a packet of two VEEV nicotine pods for more than $14.90 or devices for more than $19.90, which is cheaper than what wholesalers can offer, when the retail price for comparable pod products is generally about $24.99. The marketing material for the offer only mentions PMI in fine print at the bottom of the document.
The University of Sydney emeritus professor of public health and tobacco control Simon Chapman said that PMI of “playing a long game here to wreck the prescription access model by disrupting the competition”. He highlighted that the tobacco company has been openly opposing the prescription model, and lobbying for a consumer model.
Meanwhile Vaping Post asked Dr. Mendelsohn how he feels about this deal. The tobacco treatment expert replied that while just like everyone in the field he leans towards resenting tobacco companies, his priority is “for smokers to quit as soon as possible with whatever works for them, even if this is with a tobacco company product.”
“Smokers should have a choice and all products have to compete in the marketplace. I would much prefer the tobacco industry to make safer nicotine alternatives than combustible cigarettes and i think they should be encouraged to make that transition. If we discourage that, they will go back to deadly cigarette production,” he added.
Fearmongering and Misinformation Spread by Australian Authorities
