Why a GP thinks new government vaping policy will fail

The founding chairman of the Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association thinks the federal government’s vaping crackdown will fail.

GP and founding chairman of the Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association, Craig Mendelsohn, says previous government policy has already backfired once before.

“We’ve created a huge problem by the way we’re currently regulating vapes, the black market took off, youth vaping increased,” he told Neil Mitchell.

Press PLAY to hear Craig Mendelsohn argue against the new policy

Mr Mendelsohn also argues that the system won’t be enforceable and that people who moved to vaping to quit smoking will just go back.

Mr Mendelsohn said the new policy is based on ideological and political reasons, not health concerns.

“The evidence is very clear about vaping, every other western country is making them more readily available,” he said.

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