Frequently Asked Questions

Need some quick answers to get your vape up and running? Browse through our frequently asked questions (FAQs) about vaping. Here you will find answers to the most common electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) questions such as 'Why is my tank leaking?' and laws about nicotine in Australia. Please check this page periodically for updated or additional frequently asked questions.

Mostly, yes. Regrettably, we closed on 1 July; stopping sale of any vape kits, their accessories and e-liquid. The Vaping Reforms Bill 2024 which passed parliament on 27 June enforced a ban on the retail sale of vapes outside a pharmacy setting. See 'What are the 2024 vaping regulations?' FAQ for more info.

We only continue to sell products that are not classified as therapeutic goods by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and aren't restricted to only be sold in a pharmacy, such as batteries, chargers as apparel.

Updated 3 Sept 2024 (Updates will have '- NEW -' at the beginning of the sentence.)

Below is a gist of the 2024 vape regulations as we understand them, along with links to latest news and government info.

We strongly recommend reading the information in the links at the end of this FAQ for more detailed information.

Disposable vape import ban

As of 1 Jan 2024:

  • importing disposable vapes is banned, with or without nicotine, both by individuals (even with a prescription) and businesses
  • all medical and nurse practitioners can prescribe therapeutic vapes; they no longer need to apply for authorisation from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to do so
  • vapes classified as a therapeutic product. Originally, they were classified as a smoke/smoking product, placing them under the similar regulations as tobacco. 

Non-therapeutic vape import ban

From 1 March:

  • importing non-therapeutic vapes is banned for businesses (that's all vape devices, pods, e-juice etc without a licence, permit and notification to TGA by a business). See list of current notified vapes
  • vape stores can continue to sell vape products imported before 1 March until 1 July when the law amendments are enforced
  • vape products imported after 1 March (with licence etc.) must comply with new TGA and Office of Drug Control (ODC) regulations, and only be sold in a pharmacy
  • the personal importation scheme ends so individuals are banned from ordering any vape products from overseas, even with a prescription
  • there will be restrictions on flavours to mint, menthol OR tobacco on products imported after 1 March.

Retail vape sales ban

The Health Minister introduced the Therapeutic Goods and Other Legislation Amendment (Vaping Reforms) Bill 2024 which was:

  • passed to a Senate Inquiry Committee by the House of Representatives
  • responded to by the public and organisations via public submissions (most of which were opposed to the bill)
  • discussed at public hearings on 1 and 2 May, where witnesses were called to answer the committee's questions
  • recommended to be passed in the Senate Inquiry report
  • recommended it not be passed by National Party Senators' 'Dissenting Report'
  • debated during a second reading in the Senate on 25 June
  • passed in the Senate with an amendment (see 'CW - Government [sheet ZC286]')to make vapes pharmacy-only but not prescription-only
  • amendments passed in the House of Representatives on 27 June.

From 1 July, the Vaping Reforms Act 2024:

  • bans domestic manufacture, advertisement, supply and commercial possession of non-therapeutic (vapes not sold in a pharmacy, or imported with correct permits, licences etc) and disposable vapes
  • bans retail sale of non-therapeutic vapes outside a pharmacy setting
  • details offences and penalties that apply which include imprisonment (max seven years) and fines
  • governs how people access vapes. Specifically, vapes are:
    - only sold in pharmacies
    - require a prescription for purchase between 1 July and 30 Sept
    - from 1 October, purchased over the counter, without prescription, at pharmacies only, following presenting of ID and discussion with pharmacists
    - sold in up to one month's worth of supply
    - limited to 20mg/mL nicotine without a prescription from 1 Oct.

What you can do

Once the bill is passed, it's out of our hands but there's no reason we can't still be letting government know how the bill enforcement is going.

  • Email your local Member of Parliament and let them know what you think of the Vaping Reforms Act 2024; how it's actually working or not working and how this impacts you.
  • Petition EN5905, requesting a repeal and review of the 1 March vape import ban, closed on 6 March with over 28000 signatures. It has been presented to the House, waiting for the Minister responsible for the matters raised to respond. We check every week and there is still no update to this.

More information

Government info

Health practitioner sites

Dr Colin Mendelsohn's site:

Vaping advocate sites

Latest news

Dirty tanks with build-up of old/burnt e-liquid can make you go through coils quicker.

Each vaper may do this differently but here's how we clean our tanks:

1. Empty the e-liquid from your tank and dispose of it.

2. Unscrew all components of the tank to pull it apart. Keep in mind some tanks have reverse thread (unscrews clockwise, like the Vaporesso Cascade Tank) and others need a special tool to unscrew them (like the Vaporesso VM Tanks). See your tank packaging for instructions.

3. Remove the coil and dispose of it. A clean tank requires a brand new coil which you can prime now in preparation (see our 'How to prime new coils' FAQ below).

4. Remove all the o-rings from the tank connections (small rubber rings). Each tank varies in number and placement of o-rings but the important thing is that you remember where they go so you can put it back together again. Maybe take a video or photos as you dismantle it.

5. Fill a small bowl with 1/3 white vinegar and 2/3 hot water.

6. Put all the tank components (without the o-rings as the vinegar can damage them) in the bowl. Let it sit until the water cools.

7. Take all tank parts out of the water, dry them off, replace the o-rings and put the tank back together.

8. Place new, primed coil in, fill with e-liquid and enjoy.

We hope your clean tank is vaperific! Please contact us if you have any questions.

Priming essentially means to saturate a coil or pod so that you don’t vape on dry cotton. Doing so is called a dry hit, which tastes terrible and may burn your coil instantly. 

So here’s how you do it… 

Coil

1. Drop three to eight drops (depending on the coil size) of e-liquid onto the wicking material inside the coil head (not too much as this can flood it).

2. Allow drops to be soaked in and use the feed ports (wholes in the side of the coil that you can see the cotton through) to see when the cotton becomes saturated. When all feed ports are glistening, it’s good to go.

3. Place it inside your tank securely and fill the tank with e-liquid.

4. You can let the tank sit for a few minutes or set your device to the coil’s minimum heat setting (for example, if the coil can handle 30-80W (written on the coil or coil packaging), set your device to 30W).

5. Hold the fire button while gently blowing down the mouth piece/drip tip (that’s right, not drawing on the tank, but gently blowing air down the tank through the mouth piece). Once you can see that that tank is producing adequate vape with no gurgling sounds, priming is complete.

6. Enjoy!

Pod

1. Fill the pod with e-liquid.

2. Block the airflow with your finger/s (location of airflow is shown in your pod kit’s user manual).

3. Gently and with long draws suck on the mouth section of the pod about five to 10 times while blocking the airflow. You are basically drawing e-liquid to the internal coil of the pod and soaking the cotton.

5. Let it sit for a few minutes.

6. Enjoy!

When using an adjustable wattage device with a brand new coil or pod, we recommend that you prime coils first (see our ‘How to prime new coils or pods’ FAQ), then start at the lower end of the coil/pod wattage range. 

The wattage range is either on the coil/pod itself or on its packaging. So if it’s a 25–35W coil, start at 25W and then increase the wattage by 10% when you feel the need to go higher for either more throat hit or vapour. 

This will avoid burning your coil.

Simply put, no. Why pick up a habit when you don’t have one? 

We don’t recommend vaping for anyone other than people wanting to quit smoking cigarettes. 

Please note however that we are not saying e-cigarettes are a proven smoking cessation device, guarantee you will quit smoking nor that they are a completely safe alternative.

Your coil life will vary.

A lot of factors come into play regarding coil/pod life. Firstly, you should know when it's time to replace your coil or disposable pod:

- when you are no longer getting that crisp, awesome vapour flavour

- the vape draw is harsh or tastes burnt

- your tank or pod are excessively leaking

- the white cotton inside the coil looks black. 

Now here are things that can affect the life of your coil:

- E-liquid: Some flavour compounds can impact coil life; not any specific flavours but generally, the sweeter the e-liquid, the higher potential for build-up which can damage your coil.

- Power settings: Powering too high or too low can shorten the coil life. It’s best to find the wattage that best suits the coil or pod, device and your inhale. The specifications of coil and device power settings are a guide only. For example, you may find your combination of products (e-liquid, tank, coil and mod) works better at a lower setting than specified.

- Manufacturing: As most things are mass produced these days, it can lead to inconsistencies with coils. You may have done nothing wrong but still experience less coil lifespan.

- Improper priming: Priming your coil is very important to avoid burning. Follow our ‘How to prime new coils or pods’ FAQ steps prior to using your new coil.

- Vaping on empty: Letting your e-liquid level go very low or empty means you risk vaping on a dry coil that can instantly burn it.

First things first: this answer is referring to:

- coils: also called atomiser heads and is the part that atomises your e-liquid to create vapour

- disposable pods: pods that have a built-in (non-replaceable) coil, meaning the whole pod is disposed when the coil reaches the end of its life.

Regarding when to replace either one, the bottom line is, if you wouldn't inhale air through a dirty car oil filter, then change your coils or disposable pods regularly, or as soon as they show signs of no longer vaping well.

Here’s how you know when to change a disposable pod or coil. If you answer yes to one or (god-forbid) more of the following, you know what time it is:

- Does your e-liquid change colour, looking like it has a hint of black death?
- Does your vape flavour taste like it may have been dipped in an ashtray?
- When you look down the drip tip/mouth piece of your tank or pod, is it as black as the vacuum of space?
- When you puff, does the tank or coil gurgle constantly like you're blowing bubbles in a milkshake?
- Do you cough after each vape like you’ve been in a coal mine for 50 years?
- When you remove your coil or disposable pod to inspect it, do you only see black and no white cotton material inside?
- Is your tank or pod leaking? (There could be many reasons why this happens, burned coils is just one of them. Read our FAQ on ‘Why is my tank leaking’ for more info.)
- Do you no longer get the same amount of vapour production?

There are reasons why each of these happen when your built-in or replaceable coil has reached the end of its short life but we thought we'd just give you the headliners. Maybe we'll follow up with a blog post for a more in-depth look.

There are mixed views on the side-effects of vaping a burned coil but we are going out on a limb to say that it can’t be good. Just keep an eye on it and if your vape tank or pod is not vaping or tasting like it used to, maybe it’s time to change the coil or replace the disposable pod. We definitely don’t recommend going a whole month without changing a coil or pod if you are a frequent, daily vaper.

Always feel free to contact us if you have any more questions about your coil, pod or tank misbehaving.

The short answer is: air breach…

Tanks rely on a vacuum to keep your e-liquid from flooding the coil. A breach in a seal can allow the slightest bit of air to enter and lose the vacuum built up. Infrequent use can also lose the vacuum built up and slowly allow leakage.

The following situations can result in air breach and cause your tank to leak:

- The coil or pod has reached the end of its usable life and simply needs replacing.

Solution: Replace the coil or pod.

- The tank has been screwed together incorrectly which can damage o-rings allowing for an air breach.

Solution: Check all tank connections and o-rings. Replace any damaged o-rings from the spare parts you receive with your device.

- The PG/VG ratio of an e-liquid may not suit your tank or coil. Most sub-ohm tanks prefer high VG levels (60%+) and will be more prone to leaking if the levels are lower.

Solution: Check the specifications of the device and the e-liquid ratios to ensure they are compatible.

- The power setting is too high or low for the specific coil.

Solution: Check the wattage required for the coil. You can find this engraved on the coil or on the coil box packaging. Adjust your device to suit the heat settings required.

- The coil may be loose. It may have been installed too loose or became loose due to heat expansion.

Solution: Check that the coil is screwed in or sitting securely.

- The coils may be unsuitable for the device. If the device is too powerful or not powerful enough, it can create an improper airflow through the coil, causing liquid build up.

Solution: Check the device specifications and ensure your coil matches its requirements. If not, replace it with a coil that is suitable.

- Insufficient airflow for a specific coil. Coils that are higher wattage require more airflow. The amount of draw brought through the tank needs to suit the higher wattage requirements otherwise the coil will flood and leakage will occur.

Solution: Check that your coil has enough airflow in the pod or tank it's being used.

- The coil/tank is not suited to your style of vaping. If you take smaller draws and mostly mouth-to-lung (MTL) instead of direct-to-lung (where you draw while inhaling) you will have trouble with leaking when using tanks made for powerful vaping as they require constant high power and airflow to maintain a vacuum.

Solution: Monitor your style of vaping and change the device or tank you are using to suit. 

If you need any help with any of these issues or still have problems with your tank leaking after checking all of the above, please contact us and we’ll do our best to help you.

Any question?

If we still haven't answered your question, you can contact us below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

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