The Queensland Parliament will hold an inquiry into the health risks, use, and prevalence of e-cigarettes, amid concerns that some vaping products marketed as “nicotine free” contain the addictive chemical.
Queensland laws allow the sale of nicotine-free vaping devices in tobacco shops. E-cigarettes containing nicotine are only available with a prescription, according to The Guardian.
But the state health minister, Yvette D’Ath, said on Sunday that “we know” that some products sold off the shelf in Queensland contain nicotine and other chemicals like nail polish remover.
She offered no evidence of or support for the claim.
The premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, said the inquiry would examine measures to discourage children from vaping.
“Critically, we need to have greater knowledge about what vaping devices contain,” Palaszczuk said.
The parliament’s Health and Environment Committee will carry out the inquiry.