Australia is one of the few countries that do not allow the sale of electronic cigarettes with nicotine. This is a problem for residents who want to kick the smoking habit as they are likely to go turkey once they made the withdrawal. No wonder British American Tobacco (BAT), one of the world’s largest cigarette companies now into E-Cig manufacturing through Nicoventures, is pushing for e-cigarettes to become a medicine or prescribed smoke cessation device in this country.
If you are living in Australia and you are planning to quit smoking, you would want to know how you can buy E-cigarettes with nicotine. Here are a few facts to know before you start a buying spree from offshore sources.
The Basis of the Ban
First, it is important to know about the regulations surrounding vaping in Australia. The laws state that advertising, importing, and selling and reselling electronic cigarettes with nicotine is not legal in this country. Only E-cigarettes (atomizer, battery, cartridge and/or e-liquids) that have zero nicotine are allowed and which you can buy in Australia. E-juices consisting of VG and PG (minus the nicotine) commonly used in pharmaceutical products are not regulated.
The ban on nicotine products emanates from DoHA or Department of Health and Ageing and is based on the fact that nicotine in liquid form is listed as a “Schedule 7 Poison” under SUSMP or Standard for the Uniform Scheduling of Medicines and Poisons. For a substance to be classified under Schedule 7 Poisons, it has to show harmful effects and must require careful handling during manufacture, selling and use. Once a substance is placed under this Schedule, all States and Territories are granted the authority to control its commercial sale.
The Importation Guideline
The Customs Laws do not prohibit the importation of E-cigarettes. Duty is, however, imposed if the quantity reaches the price value of A $1,000. The importation is dealt with regulation or control from the TGA or Therapeutic Goods Administration if there is a therapeutic claim made on any of its papers or packaging.
The burden is on the importers to make sure that any goods they bring in and hold would comply with the Commonwealth and State and Territory laws. Laws may vary from state to state or territory to territory. It is best to check your local state laws before making any importation or volume online orders.
Getting Around the Rules
Aussies wanting to kick the smoking habit has the option to get their E-Cig supplies with nicotine by buying from legitimate sources abroad. Since there are shipping fees involved, you would most likely want to buy more in one order. Australian law says it is lawful to import E-Cig supply good for three months for personal use. The importation regulation is imposed merely on those reaching the A$1,000 price value.
With the explosion of a plethora of online E-Cig stores, buying for personal use will ensure that smoke quitters and social vapers who want a hint of nicotine in their e-liquids will never run out of supplies. While it is good to anticipate reordering to ensure steady availability of stocks, stiff competition has made customer service better and deliveries faster.
In Brief:
Why can’t you buy E-Cigarettes with nicotine in Australia directly from an Australian importer? It is because the rules say people in Australia cannot import them for resale within the country. But anyone can buy from outside Australia so long as it is not for resale and in a volume that is only good for less than three months. If considering buying in volume without any tax, buy less than a $1,000 worth. Shipment from the US to Australia takes about 10 business days. Additionally, many UK electric cigarette brands are offered as options.
Best US Online E-Cigarette Brands for Australia:
