An import ban of e-cigarettes and nicotine refills is a recipe for disaster as far Dr Jody Morgan is concerned.
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The toxicology expert from the School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience at the University of Wollongong, sees a number of flaws in the ban which starts on July 1.
From that date people will no longer be able to import nicotine containing e-cigarette fluids into Australia, even with a prescription.
"The main concerns that I personally have is related around how people are going to go about illegally accessing nicotine once this ban comes in place," Dr Morgan said.
Read more: Govt eyes vaping liquid crackdown: report
She said people were more likely to import high concentrations of nicotine to mix themselves, which is dangerous.
"There is going to be a high risk if people turn to the black market where they are going to be importing nicotine which is off quite a high concentration," Dr Morgan said.
"There is currently up to 1000 mg/ml nicotine in a 1L bottle available for import to Australia. This is 42 times more concentrated than the highest concentrations of pre-mixed nicotine used by vapers. This poses a serious risk, particularly for accidental oral or dermal exposure."
Over 100,000 regular vapers in Australia won't be able to access their nicotine-containing e-fluids from next Wednesday.
"These people might revert back to smoking, which has an increased risk of harm.
"There's also a chance that international companies will produce nicotine-containing fluids without nicotine labels or appropriate warnings to allow the import of these substances, which increases the risk of accidental nicotine exposure.
"We feel this ban will actually increase the risk associated with nicotine poisoning rather than decrease it."
Dr Morgan said in a perfect world e-cigarettes and nicotine refills would be regulated, not banned.
"They need to be sold domestically in Australia as an appropriate concentration and with appropriate labeling and packaging and ensuring that they have child proof caps and a whole range of different things to minimise harm to the general public," she said.
There are two main reasons why the government are enforcing this ban.
"Number one is that there is some evidence of increased vaping among young people in the United States. That is true, there has been an increase in vaping but there has also been a decrease in cigarette uptake in the US.
"So their claims that the vaping is going to lead to cigarette use isn't particularly founded," Dr Morgan said.
"The ban they are imposing is a ban on nicotine. They are not actually banning e-fluids, so the young people will still be able to go to the local tobacconist or online and purchase e-fluids that do not contain nicotine.
"So, they can still vape and they can still access e-cigarettes, they just can't do it with those that have nicotine in them.
"So that argument doesn't hold ground because they are not actually banning e-cigarettes or e-fluids, they are just preventing nicotine in them."
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