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Is Butler Sending These Vapers To An Early Grave?
by Pippa Starr
Below is a picture of typical devices that vapers who quit smoking use.
As you can see they fit the description of “vapes that have pink unicorns on them”,
Wait what? They don’t?
This is what most experienced Australian vapers prefer and what legal legitimate specialist vape stores sell.
As Health Minister Mark Butler said during a press conference on November 28, 2023,
“Disposable vapes will not be able to be imported. This is really what kids are using.
They're not using refillable vapes, overwhelmingly they're using disposable vapes.”
Yet in the same presser he said “ From the 1st of March further regulations will take effect that will prohibit the import of any vape, in particular non-disposable or refillable vapes”.
The *PIS (Personal Importation Scheme) where vapers can now legally import nicotine liquid products is also being scrapped on March 1, 2023.
Effectively he is saying, we know adults who quit smoking aren’t the problem, that isn't what is causing a “serious public health menace”, but we will make it a problem for you anyway by introducing a ban on refillable devices and force adults to use non refillable devices via a prescription (if you can get one), and use an over priced one that your not familiar with from a chemist (if they sell them).
The same owners of these devices (below) are the same people who have told their story below.
They are ordinary ex smoking Australians who don’t wish to break laws, but don’t wish to smoke again either.
It’s not hard to see what is going on.
Bad Govt. policy could be potentially sending these good people to an early grave!
Since Mark Butler won't give them the respect of at least hearing from them, Australia will!
These are their true stories.
I asked just a few vapers for their real vaping quit stories, they are not lobbyists, big tobacco shills nor do they fit any other conspiracy theories that are often thrown at vapers.
They are real people. Mums, Dad, Grandparents, brothers and sisters and voters.
Here is a small sample of what they have to say:
Dianne from Perth said,
“I am 59 years old, I smoked for 35 years. I have now been smoke free for 10 years as of next month. I rely on a pen style vaping device and I use strawberry or vanilla 3mg freebase eliquid. I feel far healthier overall since I began vaping. This ban will effect me by not allowing me to use the PIS to to purchase my preferred products.
Once my supplies run out I don't know what I will do.”
Carla from Sydney said,
“I am 46 years old. I smoked a pack a day for 20 years. I have now been smoke free for 6 years. I rely on a vaping device & nicotine eliquid to stay smoke free. I feel my health has improved, no chest infections & better circulation since I began vaping.
The ban is detrimental.”
Aunt Bee from South Australia said,
“I'm 65 & smoked for 50yrs. I have a prescription (PIS) & shopped around to find a device & flavours that suited me. Once I found the right combo, I stopped smoking that day. That was 7mths ago. I use a simple refillable pod vape & custard tart flavour.
Lung health improved ++.”
Craig from Ballarat in Victoria said,
57 years old. Smoked for 35+ years, in the end I was smoking a packet of 50’s a day. Tried the usual patches, hypnosis, etc. gave up many times cold turkey, most for 2 month then back. Tried an open system vape 6 years ago, haven’t smoked since. Haven’t wanted to!!
Storm from Perth said:
“I’m a 48 year old father of 4. Started smoking when I was 16, had a serious heart attack at 39 (STEMI). Tried to quit multiple times. 3 courses of Champix. With the third course I managed to stay largely off them (maybe smoked once a month) for five years before changing careers and taking the habit up again (albeit only around a pack a week). Almost 2 years ago my twins (15y.o) who had started vaping had some disposables confiscated by their mother who asked me to get rid of them. My kids encouraged me to try them to replace the cigarettes. About a week later I smoked my last cigarette. 6 months later my doctor marvelled at the improvement in my health (bloods, blood pressure etc), and even stated ‘you could be a poster child for health improvement’. I have used disposables up to this point but have recently stocked up on refillables using the PIS. I won’t use the pharmacy vapes on principle, nor because of the poor devices, lack of flavours and lack of different strengths. I will support the black market when my stock runs out. That I have to funnel money to the BM instead of legitimate businesses and public tax coffers is insane. This new policy is probably the single worst public health policy I have witnessed in this country in my 48 years. Vaping has probably saved my life and it would never have happened if I hadn’t accidentally come across them, something that will not be able to occur under this new policy. Shameful policy from head to toe.”
Brad from Griffith in NSW says,
“I'm 45 years old I smoked for 16 years, tried numerous times to give up, I was fortunate enough to find out about this new thing called vaping, with a 510 ego battery and clearomizer. I was able to give up cigarettes. 12 years later, I spend the days vaping a geekvape aegis with Morris the grape flavour 6mg juice and relax in the evening with my smok morph2 with Moe's vanilla custard 6mg. I have seen a great improvement to my health, no more coughing, I don't lose my breath as easily. The new vaping laws will impact me greatly, the prescription devices are just insufficient and the juice has too much nicotine in it and the flavours are horrendous.
Adults like flavours!"
James from the Northern Territory said,
“I am a 61 year old born and bred Australian. Smoked for more than 40 years. I gave up cigarettes literally overnight 7 years ago using a Black Current flavored vape at 12mg/ml nicotine. I now vape at max 3mg/ml nicotine. According to my Doctor the improvements to my general health have been “amazing” over the years & attributes it to quitting combustible tobacco. My lung function tests show constant improvement. My blood pressure great. I think this ALP Policy is flawed from the start. It will simply benefit the black market who will then ensure that disposable vapes will remain available to the youth market while ALSO driving almost 1.8 million law abiding adults to either break the law or die an early death from going back to cigarettes. One of the most upsetting things for me is the loss of something like 200 or so small family businesses. No compensation, they lose everything. Specialty vape stores who in the face of the disposable storm remained true to themselves and traded within the letter of the law. 18+ adult only, no nicotine sales, just high quality hardware and zero nicotine juices. And how many of their staff and their families will be impacted? For me, nicotine is not a medication and I am not a patient. I enjoy my nicotine just as I enjoy my caffeine. Daily and with pleasure. I WILL NOT go back to cigarettes I WILL NOT use nasty Pharmacy #vapes I WILL continue to vape safely, my way, FOR ME”
Simon said,
“I first found e-cigs in summer 2007/8, I tried a very early cig-a-like the very first in the DSE-901 from Sailibao , right from the first puff I saw promise, however the 1st generation of e-cigs were underpowered and small battery capacity, and those alone were not functional enough for me to give up smoking entirely. I dual used for a year or so and got involved early on in the modding and developing of vapes until we had a version that was reliable and good enough to ditch smoking completely. I was a pack a day smoker with about 15 years of cigarettes behind me before I fully transitioned to vaping . My story is particularly relevant I feel because it was only thru development and experimentation that I finally managed to get a system that freed me from cigarettes. THIS IS WHY vaping works , it is not a one size fits all model ... some need high nicotine, some don't , some need a lot of vapour others less. The replacement cycle can vary widely and I feel the most important part of ditching the ciggies is the ability to tailor a system to your needs . This does not appear to be the way of medicalisation. The prescription model is doomed to fail because it does not have that critical tailoring , neither are doctors trained or experienced enough to consult on it .I am currently down to only 1mg of nicotine in an unflavoured PG/VG mix, my last Doctor was overjoyed I had given up the cigarettes and classified me as a non-smoker. sadly he has left the district and I will be consulting a new Doctor very soon , this does not fill me with confidence , as it seems that Drs now are coached to dissuade vaping , but it is the ONLY method that has worked for me to avoid smoking. I no longer have a smokers cough, and due to other factors my health is not fantastic , but my previous Dr has voiced that the switch to vaping had pretty much saved me from a demise I would have met much earlier than present day , I am 60 years old , but also suffer from disability and limited mobility from an accident. The fact my lungs and heart have been saved the burden of toxic smoke has dramatically improved my outlook > You cant beat the Reaper but vaping has enabled me to put him off for a fair time now . Prescription vaping would be the end of me .. I am not looking to consume more than my current dose of nicotine ... I have done everything right to escape cigarettes as best I can , PLEASE do not take my progress and health away any further than it already is”
Carol from Wodonga in Victoria said”
I started smoking when I was 19 as it was in those days a sign you were modern and trendy, saturation TV and radio told you so. I am now 72 years old and over the years tried everything to quit, cold turkey, tobacco substitute non-nicotine ‘cigarettes’, the patches which bought me out in such bad allergy rashes that ran out of places to put them. Then there were the tablets from the doctor which caused such extreme nausea that I was non-functioning until afternoon, also the spray from the supermarket which burnt my throat. On the 24th Sept ‘22 I smoked my last cigarette and started vaping. I haven’t smoked since. Since then I’ve been gradually cutting down on nicotine by going down a ml each month with the eventual aim being to be nicotine free.”
Al from Melbourne said,
I am 55 years old. I smoked for 24 years. I have now been smoke free for exactly 11 years I rely on an open system (refillable) vaping devices and 3-6mg custard flavoured eliquid. I started smoking in the army at the age of 19 because everyone smoked but it quickly became a means to deal with the pressure of being in the military. Having seen and been through a number of pretty scary situations, my mental health started to deteriorate and was diagnosed with PTSD and anxiety and had to leave the military but continued to smoke cigarettes until I found vaping 11 years ago. I feel, no I know vaping has not only had a positive impact on my health but has been the one constant in dealing with my mental health issues. Without a doubt the bans will have a negative impact on my mental health as well as my physical well being. Not being able to access nicotine vaping the way I know it and the way it helps me will be a major issue. It has already caused me to have a severe mental breakdown to a point where I tried to take my own life a few months ago. I know that I will go back to smoking if I can’t access vaping.
Mark from Victoria said.
“I am 41 years old. I started smoking cigarettes at age 16. I tried many methods to quit. Eventually I tried vaping 3 years ago. I use an open system, I vape Australian made eLiquids from Oceania Labs. I instantly was able to stop the cigarettes. I started vaping at 12mg about 15-20 ml per day (4 tank fills), now I'm down to 5 mg and 5 -10 ml per day. I notices that after the first couple of months of vaping, I stopped coughing up bricks of crap in the mornings, I noticed being able to breathe easier and I noticed that I wasn't getting as sick and less often. If the government forces me to switch to 59mg chemist vape, I don't think I'll be able to quit. I'm not a high income earner, so I doubt that I can afford the price of doctors and prescription vapes. The savings that I made from quitting cigarettes is now used to be able to buy better food and to help live a more active healthy lifestyle. If I'm forced to go down the prescription vape path to remain cigarette free I doubt I'll be able to afford it. I think I'll have to find some disposable vapes which I'm dead against and those toxic things should be 100% banned for a 3rd time or possibly end up back on cigarettes. I'm all for regulation of open systems and non nic eliquid, even happy to pay some tax on it if I can remain cigarette free. I'm so glad I tried vaping and now it's being taken away”
Micheal from Victoria said
“I’m 69. I’d smoked for 50 years before taking up vaping 18 months ago. Three years ago my doctor told me I had the lungs of an 84-year-old. Last January he told me they are now good. Since vaping I no longer have a constant sore throat. Neither am I coughing up phlegm all night. I’m no longer running short of breath when gardening. As I can mix my own vape juices I’ve managed to gradually decrease the amount of nicotine, which at the moment is close to nil. Vaping worked for me. Nicotine patches and gums didn’t.”
Shaun from Brisbane said
“I'm 49. In 2 days it's 3 years since my last smoke. I had just left my Dad who was in his last weeks of life with lung cancer. I couldn't have managed it then or after without vaping. I'm on 5mg in fruit flavour. They'll have to take it from my cold dead cancer-free hands. A bit more because I couldn't fit it in a tweet. My dad died within 10 weeks of diagnosis. He was a 50 years smoker who had been scared of getting emphysema but resigned to it. I had already started my vape journey but his fear was further motivation for me. I tried to get him onto it but as it turned out it was too late. But not for me.”
Trish from.. said
“I have smoked cigarettes most of my adult life (now 67 years of age - not a teenager), I have not smoked cigarettes for about 5 years now. My health etc, etc has improved. I did this by using vapes as a quitting aid. My preferred flavours are orange/lemon and a coffee, all zero nicotine. The bans will affect me by stopping my supply of flavoured e-liquid, (used to remain smoke-free) excellent hardware (all aspects), and the fact that my Vape shop will have to close while the black market continues.”
Kim from North Queensland said,
“57y.o. Smoked 36yrs ->40day. Switched exclusively to vaping 8yrs ago, 01.02.2016, using a refillable penstyle vape w/strawberry 12mg (AU juice+NZ nic). Autoimmune inflammatory markers 0, ceased 5 x Rx for arthritis,10 less gp visits/bood tests p/a. Saved $$
Bernise from Hervey Bay in Queensland said,
“I am 65 yrs young, I've been smoke free for 10yrs. I used vaping to help me after my GP in the UK referred me to a vape store. (I worked in UK for 2 yrs.) I quit cigs on day 1 of vaping, nothing else had worked. I'm now fit, I had tests done, my heart/lungs are that of a 50yr old.”
Sqonkus from Queensland said
“I'm 65 years old. I smoked for 42 years and 6 years ago I thought I'd giving vaping a go as no other quit methods had worked for me.
Success! I use open systems and various flavours. I have no intention of stopping nicotine use. I may have to go Black Market.”
Paul from NSW Said,
65yo, smoked for over 45 years, smoke free for over 6 years now. I use various open systems with a variety of flavours as the mood takes me. I intend to continue as I have been until I am locked up or publicly executed for having the temerity to quit smoking my way.
Ray from NSW said
“I'm 5 years smoke free thanks to vaping. Had to find a flavor that goes with coffee and devices that are leak free, easy and cheap to maintain. I was coughing up tar and no longer do. This ban makes vaping much more expensive and the devices/flavors are unappealing to me.”
Tash from South Australia said,
“I am in my 40's. I smoked for 26 years. Smoke free 7 years. I use a mod vaping device and tabacco eliquid. I feel like a new person since I began vaping. I can run again. I am near the end of my nic journey 8mg down to 0.3mg, never noticed tapering.”
Bohica from South Sydney said.
“I have been smoking since my teens, I'm 61 now. I started to vape in the early days, roughly 9 years ago. Nearing the end of my smoking days, I was knocking over approx 40 smokes a day. When I started to vape I did struggle, until I started to mix my own flavours with nicotine”
Darren from Queensland said,
“I'm 57 & started smoking in my early teens. After numerous failed attempts to quit, I switched to vaping in 2017 after a lot of research. I felt the health improvements within days. I currently use an open mod with 18mg freebase liquid in multiple flavours. Vapes saved my life."”
Micheal from South Australia said
“61yrs old smoked from age 12-59, tried numerous times to quit vaping finally did it for me, don't go for funky flavours, prefer mint or menthol currently vape with nic but plan to reduce over next couple of years the govt can go jump”
Bee from Victoria said,
“Had my last cigarette in 2010 when I bought an ecig . Haven’t had a single puff of combustible tobacco since. My health is now excellent at age 50 compared to when I smoked and couldn’t climb stairs without breathlessness. Now I don’t cough and blood pressure perfect.
Mike said,
“I am 44 years old. I smoked for 20 years convinced I'd never be able to quit after numerous failed attempts. Switched to vaping in 2014. Felt so much bettter and healthier since. I use an open system vape with 6mg freebase nicotine and many flavours. Bans makes this prohibited.”
Nick from Ballarat in Victoria said,
“Im 53, smoked cigs for 27 years, I quit smoking using vapes and have been smoke free for 11 years now. I no longer have asthma and my health is dramatically better than it was 11 years ago despite being older. Im vaping a mango with 6mg in a refillable POD device as I write this.”
Vonkkruelstien from Hobart said,
“I am 32 years old. I smoked for 13 years from age 12. I have now been smoke free for 8 years 2 months. I rely on an open re fillable vaping device and 6mg eliquid that I mix myself using products from new Zealand's regulated market. I feel extremely better physically and mentally, I have adhd and major depressive disorder manifesting anxiety disorder, the nicotine helps keep me calm and focused, better than the amphetamines that classes as medication for adhd and ssri's for the depression and anxiety, I am now able to walk and run and not feel out of breath after 5 seconds, I couldn't breathe properly, I was a coughing mucus filled mess, now I am not a mess of coughing mucus and phlegm upon waking because of vaping, I can taste my food and my sense of smell seems even better since I began vaping. I vape with nicotine as a means to stay off cigarettes, treat my adhd and anxiety in a manner that wont trigger suicide attempts and amphetamine addiction, taking vaping away from me is canter mount to murder through torture resulting in suicide, please I beg you if you have even a shred of human decency, to not take away best method for keeping me safe and healthy physically and mentally. Nicotine while addictive is the most minor of addictions that one can have when not in the form of cigars cigarettes and dodgy dealings whether made by the government or a black market peddler.
WWT from WA said,
I am 49yrs I started to smoke at 16, just a few a day but by 20yrs old I was at 20 cigs a day, I attempted several times to quit using patches and spray but that failed. I did succeed to quit cold turkey in 2001. After a relationship breakup I started smoking again. I always thought I had the will power to quit cold turkey again like the first time I did it, but it took a lot of strength and I was unable to find the strength to do it again.
2017 comes and my sister came over vaping. I laughed at her and thought it was ridiculous, but my curiosity got me and I thought I’d try it. I used the vape shop wickandwire in Pakenham and bought a nunchaku by uwell and some juice, custard flavour without Nic. I loved it and I ordered the same juice but with Nic from their store in NZ. I quit smoking as soon as I got the Nic juice that day and I’ve still got the packet of cigarettes from 2017.
Gillian from Adelaide said,
“58 years old. Started smoking at 13. Tried every method of quitting and had quit trying. Resigned to probs dying early Quit instantly after trying a vape 11 years ago. Flavours and quality devices are everything. Govts number 1 priority should be getting a vape to every smoker”
Pam from…… said,
I'm 69 soon to be 70. Smoked from 16 yo, tried everything available to quit, only very temporary success. Been vaping 13 years. I rely on re-fillable mini pod device w flavoured e- liquid. Significant improvement in health. Can't afford pharmacy vapes, ban means BM, won't smoke.
@Mark_Butler_MP , it wasn’t hard to ask adult vapers how they would cope with new laws you are applying to their lives.
Why is it so dam hard for you?
You give up time for unelected people to spoon-feed you misinformation in a closed round table yet leave those you are making important health decisions about outside in the cold to die!
What sort of leadership is that?
Let alone when it concerns over 1.72 million Australian voters!
You can learn a lot by listening to voters!
Thousands of people will read this.
They will be in contact with at least 100 other voters after they do, many will talk about this article in the coming days, weeks and months.
Get real, it's time to repeal!
Help Albo, Mark Butler and Australian Dept of Health get this message heard LOUDER now!!
Sign the following petition.
aph.gov.au/e-petitions/pe…
Email your vape stories to your MPs and senators!
Share this everywhere!
Australian's need to hear the true story!
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