The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has put on noticing 13 Vape Pty Ltd for the unlawful advertisement of e-cigarettes. The agency wrote to the executive officer of the company to stop nicotine vape products advertising to Australian consumers.
Officers of the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), an agency of the Department of Health and Aged Care have reviewed the company’s website, trading name, and the whole advertisement and believes that what it does is unlawful and intended to harm the health of Australians.
The TGA further points out that by doing the following, the 13 Vape Pty Ltd is engaging in the unlawful vape products advertising:
- Linking its website URL and trade name to the therapeutic good
- Advertising the benefits of liquid nicotine vapes over traditional cigarette smoking
- Omitting important information such as the risks of using nicotine vapes in its advertisement and website content.
When looked at as a whole, these three things amount to a misleading advertisement that is immoral and intended to take advantage of consumers. To protect the wellbeing of Australians the agency has banned the company and other companies in the vaping industry from using the following words in their URL and trade name:
- Vaping or vapes or any of its variations in conjunction with words such as “pharmacy” ‘Script”, “prescription”, or any of their variations.
Furthermore, the 13 Vapes Pty Ltd executive officers cited for the unlawful advertisement will be required to pay $5, 328 for two infringement notices for the unlawful advertising of his company’s products.
Under Australian law Nicotine, vapes are prescription-only medicines. This means that no such products should be advertised directly to the consumers. Advertisement is only allowed for products and advertisements that meet the conditions set out under the Therapeutic Goods (Restricted and Prohibited Representations – Nicotine) Permission (No. 2) 2021.
The TGA is constantly monitoring the marketing and use of nicotine-containing vapes under the therapeutic good laws. Companies handing products in the vaping industry are therefore required to comply with the Therapeutic Goods Act of 1989.
The TGA is also requesting members of the public to help report any company you suspect to engage in illegal or questionable activities on its online platforms. This it hopes will help in making sure that companies comply with all the laws and rules put in place to safeguard the lives of Australians. This is in its effort to remain committed to safeguarding the well-being of all Australians.
