PLANS to make vaporised nicotine products Prescription-Only are being welcomed by medical organisations.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Acting President, Dr Ayman Shenouda, described the Therapeutic Goods Administration's (TGA) interim decision as "sound", adding "we need to be very cautious when it comes to e-cigarettes or vaping".
"Some pro-vaping organisations claim that these products cause less harm and constitute an effective harm reduction approach," he said.
"However, we simply do not know the long-term health effects of using e-cigarettes.
"The question of whether they are an effective smoking cessation tool has also divided public health experts.
"This is not a smoking cessation aid that should be embraced by all smokers in the community.
"We view it as a last resort prescription for people who have tried and tried to quit smoking but nevertheless failed."
Australian Medical Association (AMA) President, Dr Omar Khorshid, also backed the move warning vaping could "glamorise smoking, and lead people who have not smoked before to take up the habit".
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia has adopted a cautious approach to the proposal with NSW Branch President, David Heffernan, saying there was a need to weigh up the risks and benefits associated with vaping compared to smoking (PD 23 Sep).
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