Is vaping legal or illegal in Australia? Federal law requires vapers in Australia to possess a prescription for nicotine from a licensed doctor to purchase nicotine vaping products. With a prescription, vapers in Oz are legally allowed to purchase vaping products that contain nicotine, however, such products can only be purchased from overseas suppliers and Australian pharmacies.
DISCLAIMER: The information on this webpage and on this website is for general information purposes only and does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. For legal advice, please seek the counsel of a licensed attorney in the relevant jurisdiction.
Prescriptions Required For Nicotine Vaping Products
As of 1 October 2021, all consumers are required to have a prescription to purchase nicotine vaping products. This includes nicotine e-cigarettes, liquid nicotine, and other types of vaping products that contain nicotine, such as pods and carts. The only sources that vapers with a prescription can use to buy their nicotine vaping supplies are:
- Overseas suppliers
- Australian pharmacies
Overseas Vape Suppliers
With a prescription for nicotine, consumers can import their vaping supplies with nicotine in them from overseas suppliers. This is actually easier than it might sound thanks to the internet. There are a number of overseas suppliers that operate online vape shops where consumers can order products, which the suppliers will then ship directly to customers. The legal importation of nicotine vaping products for personal use falls under the TGA’s Personal Importation Scheme, which allows for up to a 3-month supply of vape liquids to be imported for personal use at one time. We suggest taking a look at the TGA website for more information on how to legally buy nicotine vaping products in Australia.
Australian Pharmacies
There are currently three main pathways through which vapers with a prescription can access nicotine vaping products in Australia. The Personal Importation Scheme used to import such products from overseas suppliers is one of these pathways. The other two pathways are:
- Authorised Prescriber (AP) Scheme
- Special Access Scheme (SAS)