ACT government proposes tougher protections to stop e-cigarette sales to minors

Under the changes, young people could soon be engaged by the ACT government to attempt to buy tobacco products from retailers as part of compliance testing.

The testing could identify retailers who are selling e-cigarettes and vaping products to minors.

It is part of a suite of reforms put forward by Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith in an attempt to regulate the sales of e-cigarettes and vaping.

"Unfortunately, across Australia there are increasing reports of illegal sales of e-cigarettes, including sales to minors," Ms Stephen-Smith said.

"This bill will enable future compliance testing to include e-cigarettes and will therefore offer an additional tool to deter sales to minors.

"Adolescent brains are highly vulnerable to nicotine addiction and the use of smoking products can lead to a lifetime of dependency, as well as exposing the young user to the short and long-term health risks of vaping or smoking."

The bill has been introduced following a motion brought forward by Labor backbencher Marisa Paterson last year that called on the ACT government to expand efforts to prevent people from taking up e-cigarettes.

Dr Paterson's motion resulted in a review of ACT legislation to ensure that the laws were helping to minimise the harm caused be e-cigarettes and vaping in the territory, particularly for young people.

Other changes include allowing pharmacies to obtain nicotine vaping products that are medicines from their usual supply chains.

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It would also increase the ability for the Therapeutic Goods Administration to support the regulation of e-cigarettes and vaping products.

Meanwhile, Ms Stephen-Smith also proposed changes to fully allow for the family of an organ donor to have their donation formally acknowledged on a death certificate.

The ACT government passed amendments to the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act last year to allow for status to be on a death certificate but further changes were needed to address an inconsistency with the Transplantation and Anatomy Act.

"Currently, the Transplantation and Anatomy Act does not clearly permit officers to release information about organ or tissue donors," Ms Stephen-Smith said.

"The bill will support the lawful release of this information when a request is received from a bereaved family for acknowledgement of a person's donation."

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