HEALTH — VAPING
INDUSTRY REGULATION
564. Hon Dr BRIAN WALKER to the Leader of the House
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer the minister to her widely
publicised comments on vaping, as reported by The West Australian on
Friday, 10 June 2022.
(1) What impact
does the minister believe her ''scare campaign''—to quote
the front page of The West—will have on the legitimate medical
use of vape technology as a cessation aid for those addicted to tobacco and as
a delivery device for pain relief in terms of medicinal cannabis, both of which
are currently legal prescription options open to doctors here in WA?
(2) If the intention of the minister's
campaign is to reduce the harm caused by unregulated, backstreet products,
will the McGowan government commit to introducing
a proper system of regulation for the vaping industry here in this
state, rather than threatening to shut it down?
Hon SUE
ELLERY replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) There is no
impact anticipated for the legitimate supply of nicotine or medicinal cannabis.
Both nicotine and medicinal cannabis are regulated by the Therapeutic Goods
Administration and the Medicines and Poisons Act 2014. Devices designed and
intended for delivery of nicotine or medicinal cannabis may be supplied by a registered
pharmacy in line with a prescription.
(2) It is an
offence under section 106 of the Tobacco Products Control Act 2006 to
sell an e-cigarette device with or without nicotine.
The PRESIDENT: I am going to
give the call to Hon Nick Goiran. I am aware that he is going to ask a question
on behalf of a member who would be next in rotation.