In May 2023, the Australian Government announced a suite of reforms aimed at ensuring the effectiveness of the prescription model of regulation of vaping (or e-cigarette) products in Australia. This article describes the historical context and rationale for strengthening prescription regulation of vapes in this country.

The tobacco epidemic, although past its peak in Australia in terms of the prevalence of smoking, still extracts a considerable toll on the health and economic welfare of Australians. The purpose of this study was to update the estimated social costs of tobacco use in Australia.