Nicotine vapes to be prescription-only in pharmacies starting today

In this pocket of Melbourne's inner N, there are at least half a dozen vape shops within walking distance of each other or catering to a booming market. I feel like I've been waiting for like the one across the road or like around the corner from my house to stop being there because it's just so convenient. While store owners didn't want to appear on camera, some told the ABC they're getting out of the vape business, while others say they already have a head of the federal crackdown. Let's see how it plays out. Hopefully you get off smoking altogether to increase the health. First of all, vapes aren't necessarily too disposable or safe for the environment at all. It's also not safe for people to inhale from tomorrow. Nicotine vapes can only be sold at pharmacies in plain packaging, with flavours limited to mint, menthol or tobacco. They'll also require a prescription. But that's only until October, after the laws were watered down last week. This new law means if enforcement officers see vapes for sale in a shop at all, they can simply seize those products and issue a very large fine for retailers. That's an actual deterrent. Pharmacist opposed the move to drop prescriptions. And worry vape sales could be forced underground. We're really concerned that pharmacies could potentially become a target for organised crime. In an ideal world we would have no vapes and we wouldn't have any issues. But this is an opportunity to support people to quit vaping. Questions also remain about just how the new laws will be enforced at a state level. A lot of this has been illegal to date and the government has not been able to manage these matters to date, so I'm just. Curious as to what will change? We'll have police. Enforcing and we urge everyone to be mindful that this is the law. The State government says it's expecting to receive new enforcement powers from the Commonwealth as part of the reforms.