Understanding Vaping & Pharmaceutical Practice of Australia

As nicotine vaping continues to enter the healthcare conversation in Australia, many pharmacists are facing an important shift — one that positions them not just as medicine dispensers, but as front-line supporters in the fight against tobacco dependence.

Drawing insights from Vapelabs’ recent article, “Vaping & Practice: Top 3 Questions Pharmacists Ask” (May 10, 2025), it’s clear that the conversation around vaping is moving beyond controversy and into clinical care. In fact, as Vapelabs Head Pharmacist Joel Riley shares, pharmacists are increasingly embracing vaping therapy — not as a retail trend, but as a therapeutic intervention.

Reframing the Role of Vaping in Pharmacy

According to Vapelabs, pharmacists nationwide are adjusting to a new reality: many patients are turning to their local chemists not just for prescriptions, but for guidance on nicotine vaping to quit smoking. With smoking still, the leading cause of preventable death in Australia, exploring every viable quit strategy — including vaping under professional supervision — has become more urgent than ever.

As Joel Riley notes in the article, “There’s awareness that smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death… and that vaping, when used appropriately, has a role in helping patients reduce tobacco dependence.”

This sentiment is increasingly shared across the profession.

Key Concerns Among Pharmacists — and What They Mean for Patients

Vapelabs highlights three recurring concerns from pharmacists — concerns that speak not only to professional responsibility, but to how seriously pharmacists take patient care:

1. “We’re not vape shops — we’re healthcare professionals.”

Many pharmacists’ express discomfort with the idea of ‘selling’ vape products. But as Vapelabs frames it, that’s precisely why pharmacy is the right environment for nicotine vaping therapy.

When vaping is treated as a smoking cessation tool — not a lifestyle product — it becomes part of a clinical conversation, not a commercial one.

Patients who have tried and failed with traditional nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) may find vaping to be a useful behavioural bridge. In this context, pharmacists are uniquely positioned to offer advice that is evidence-based, patient-centric, and free from commercial influence.

2. “I don’t have the expertise to guide patients on vaping.”

The variety of vaping products can be overwhelming — even for trained professionals. But that learning curve is being addressed with pharmacist-specific education.

As Vapelabs explains, resources like the Vapelabs Education Centre offer foundational training, clinical guides, and tools such as a Patient Weaning Chart, designed to help pharmacists support patients step-by-step through their quit journey.

For patients, this means the advice you receive is grounded in up-to-date, professional training — not guesswork or hearsay.

3. “Time constraints limit how much support we can offer.”

Pharmacy workloads are already high — and adding detailed vaping consultations can feel daunting. Vapelabs acknowledges this, highlighting their partnership with QuitHub, which helps automate parts of the referral and prescription process.

Patients are referred to authorised prescribers, and if eligible, receive an eScript directly — reducing pressure on pharmacists while keeping the patient in a clinical loop.

This allows pharmacists to stay engaged without being overburdened, and ensures patients remain on a structured cessation pathway.

A Shift in Practice, Grounded in Purpose

Vapelabs’ insights echo what many in the pharmacy profession are starting to realise: nicotine vaping, when managed responsibly, is a tool — not a trend. It’s not about replacing one habit with another. It’s about harm reduction and supporting patients through all available, clinically appropriate methods.

As Joel Riley puts it, “It’s not about selling; it’s about supporting a quit journey.”

Final Word: Speak to Your Pharmacist

If you’re struggling to quit smoking and want to understand whether vaping might be part of your path forward, talk to your pharmacist. The landscape is changing — and pharmacists are evolving with it.

Backed by ongoing education, digital tools, and referral networks, many pharmacists are ready to support you — not just with prescriptions, but with real, human guidance toward a smoke-free life.

Reference:

Vapelabs (2025). Vaping & Practice: Top 3 Questions Pharmacists Ask — Answered by Joel Riley, Head Pharmacist at Vapelabs. [Published May 10, 2025].