The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) oversees such matters, and they have declared that “Nicotine is classified by law as a dangerous poison. States and territories have responsibility for regulating dangerous poisons. In all states and territories, the retail sale of nicotine is an offence unless a permit has been issued by the relevant state or territory authority. In some states and territories, obtaining, purchasing, possession and/or using nicotine without a permit is an offence. In most jurisdictions there are similar controls on manufacturing (including mixing), storage, labelling and packaging and other aspects of dangerous poisons.”

Therefore, the dangerous poison nicotine may only be consumed in combination with other, more dangerous, poisons (in combustible cigarettes sold in plain packages), but not in a delivery device that merely supplies the one poison of nicotine. This is because “the quality and safety of electronic cigarettes is not known”, while that of cigarettes is well known. It is unquestionably lethal, while e-cigarettes may be non-lethal. So the lethal product is permitted, as long as it is sold in plain packages, while the product which may not be lethal (indeed which everyone agrees is certain to be much less dangerous, even if minor damages are uncovered) is prohibited.

It must be wonderful to live in a land that so carefully watches out for the health of its citizens!

Excerpt from ECF April 22nd, 2014 http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/infozone/news/whats-goin.html