Vaping in Australia: Get a prescription

Unlike most other countries, you can’t just walk into a vape store in Australia and assume they are going to sell you vape juices containing nicotine. Although you can legally buy vape juices without nicotine, and vaporizers, you will need a prescription from your GP if you want to buy liquid nicotine. 

The government is enforcing a new law in October 2021, that will allow General Practitioners to prescribe nicotine to those who can’t quit smoking. Although a lot of doctors are against the idea, others have welcomed the new law with open arms. Most doctors have seen firsthand the dangers of smoking. Experienced GPs will have dealt with numerous patients who are suffering from smoking related illnesses. But because we are at the early stages of vaping, experts are concerned about its long-term effect on people’s health. 

How Will Doctors Prescribe Nicotine Liquid to? 

If you think you are going to walk into your GP’s clinic, tell them you want to start vaping, and leave with a prescription for nicotine liquid, think again. The majority of Australian doctors are wary about the damages vaping may cause, so most of them are reluctant to give their patients a prescription. 

Some GPs won’t give even heavy smokers a prescription, but there are some that will. They will only give it to people who have been smoking for several years. They will recommend that you try other solutions before you start vaping, including nicotine gum, patches, and even hypnotism. They won’t want you swapping one addiction for another if it can be avoided. However, there are doctors out there that feel that vaping is a revolution, and that it could help people who have failed to quit in the past a good opportunity to kick the habit. 

Where can I buy juices containing nicotine?

There are plenty of physical and online vape stores out there. Here are a few options:

Traditional vape store: You should have no problems finding a vape store throughout the country. They will stock a wide variety of vape juices, but the majority won’t contain nicotine. If you want to add nicotine liquid into these juices, you can buy the nicotine separately. However, you will need to provide the employees working in the store with your prescription.

• Pharmacy: More pharmacies in Australia are stocking vaping products than ever before. Although you won’t have the same amount of choices in comparison to a store that is dedicated to selling vaping products, you should have no issues finding a flavor that you will like. Again, you must provide the pharmacist with your prescription before you are allowed to buy the product. 
• Online stores: There are several online vape stores in Australia and abroad selling nicotine vape juice. Before buying from these companies, you will have to obtain a prescription first, and send it to the store. Just because some of these stores are located outside of Australia, doesn’t mean that you don’t need a prescription. 

Is it hard to make the switch from traditional cigarettes to a vaporiser?

Quitting traditional methods of smoking isn’t easy, but vaping can help the process. Here is what you can expect if you stop smoking cigarettes:

• First few days: You might experience a dry cough at certain stages, so make sure that you keep yourself hydrated by drinking plenty of water. 
• Week 1: You will be able to taste food properly again because your sense of taste and smell will have improved.
• After 3 months: Your lungs will have started repairing themselves.
• After 1 year: The risk of suffering from a heart attack will have reduced dramatically. You will have saved yourself a small fortune from not having to buy cigarettes. 

Although there are vape juices available without nicotine, heavy smokers find it hard to quit smoking with these liquids. Although you won’t need a prescription to buy these products, they don’t give vapors the same hit as a juice that contains nicotine. If your GP hasn’t provided you with a prescription, it might be worth your while trying 0MG juices. 

What type of vape should I buy?

Purchasing your first vaporizer can be a daunting experience. With so many vaping products readily available on the market, it's hard to know exactly where to start. The majority of vape stores stock a few beginner vape kits. These are designed to help those who are wanting to start vaping do so hassle-free. A lot of vape pens can cause a lot of confusion, so you don’t want to invest in one that requires a lot of maintenance. Before buying a vape pen, ask the staff members for advice on how to charge the device, how to change the coils or the head, how to refill the device, and how to clean it. If you bought your device online, it might be a good idea to check out a tutorial video on a streaming platform before you start using it.