World News for Students of English

08-05-2023 15:00

Australia is taking strong action against the tobacco industry to address the growing problem of teenage vaping.

According to last year’s data about 22% of Australians aged 18 – 24 have used an e-cigarette or vaping device at least once. The new rules will ban recreational vaping, including disposable vapes with fruity flavors, and limit the import of non-prescription vapes. Nicotine levels will be restricted, and vapes will only be sold in pharmacies with special packaging. The availability of vapes in convenience stores and illegal markets will be curtailed. Major vape manufacturer Philip Morris supports the crackdown on illegal shops. Vaping has become a popular product among young people; however, the government aims to change that by making it harder for them to access. Doctors support the measures but want more to be done to discourage young people from vaping.

The federal budget will allocate funds to protect against the harm caused by tobacco and vaping. Australia already has one of the toughest anti-smoking laws in the world and plans to raise taxes on tobacco.

Difficult words: vaping (smoking an electronic device), curtail (to reduce), allocate (to distribute resources or duties for a particular purpose).

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