The Australian government said yesterday it would ban the import of disposable e-cigarettes from January 1, calling the devices recreational products that are addictive to children.
Australia’s Health and Aged Care Minister Mark Butler said the ban on disposable e-cigarettes is aimed at reversing an “alarming” rise in vaping among young people.
”It wasn’t marketed as an entertainment product, especially for our kids, but that’s what it became,” he said.
He cited “strong evidence” that young Australians who vape are about three times more likely to smoke.
The government said it would also introduce legislation next year to ban the manufacture, advertising and supply of disposable e-cigarettes in Australia.
Association President Steve Robson said: “Australia is a world leader in reducing smoking rates and related health harms, so decisive government action to stop vaping and prevent further harm is welcome.
The Government said it was also launching a scheme to allow doctors and nurses to prescribe e-cigarettes “where clinically appropriate” from 1 January.
In 2012, it became the first country to introduce “plain packaging” laws for cigarettes, a policy that was later copied by France, Britain and other countries.
Kim Caldwell, a senior lecturer in psychology at Australia’s Charles Darwin University, said e-cigarettes were a “dangerous gateway” to tobacco for some people who would not otherwise smoke.
“So you can understand at the population level how the increase in e-cigarette use and the resurgence in tobacco use will impact population health in the future,” she said.
Standoff: The Philippine supply ship Unaizah suffered its second water cannon attack this month on May 4, following an incident on March 5. Yesterday morning, the Chinese coast guard intercepted a Philippine supply vessel and damaged it with a water cannon near a nearby reef. Southeast Asian country, Philippines. The Philippine military released video of an alleged nearly hour-long attack near the disputed Renai Shoal in the South China Sea, where Chinese ships fired water cannons and were involved in similar confrontations with Philippine vessels in the past few months. In response to regular supply rotations, the Chinese coast guard and other vessels “repeatedly harassed, intercepted, used water cannons and carried out dangerous actions.”
South Korea’s Unification Ministry yesterday also expressed growing speculation about North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s succession plans, saying they had not yet “ruled out” that his daughter could become the country’s next leader. Pyongyang state media on Saturday called Kim Jong Un’s teenage daughter a “great mentor” – “hyangdo” in Korean, a term usually applied to the supreme leader and his successors. Analysts said it was the first time North Korea had used such a description of Kim Jong Un’s daughter. Pyongyang never named her, but South Korean intelligence identified her as Ju E.
‘Revenge’: The attack came 24 hours after Pakistan’s president vowed revenge on seven Pakistani soldiers killed in a suicide bombing in a border town. Earlier yesterday, Pakistani airstrikes hit multiple suspected Pakistani Taliban hideouts in Afghanistan, killing at least eight people, as well as causing casualties and retaliatory strikes by the Afghan Taliban, officials said. The latest escalation is likely to further escalate tensions between Islamabad and Kabul. The attack in Pakistan came two days after insurgents carried out coordinated suicide bombings in northwestern Pakistan that killed seven soldiers. The Afghan Taliban condemned the attack as a violation of Afghanistan’s territorial integrity, saying it killed several women and children. The Afghan Ministry of Defense said in Kabul that Afghan forces were “targeting military centers along the border with Pakistan” late yesterday.
‘Political earthquake’: Leo Varadkar said he was “no longer the best person to lead the country” and resigned for political and personal reasons. Leo Varadkar announced on Wednesday he was stepping down as prime minister and leader of Fine Gael in the governing coalition, citing “personal and political” reasons. Experts have described the surprise move as a “political earthquake” just ten weeks before Ireland holds European Parliament and local elections. General elections must be held within a year. Chief coalition partner Michael Martin, Ireland’s deputy prime minister, called Varadkar’s announcement “surprising” but added that he expected the government to serve its full term. An emotional Varadkar became prime minister for the second time and
Post time: Mar-25-2024
