Smoking cessation and vaping are areas where the evidence is genuinely contested and where commercial interests are obvious. This page sets out how we handle that.
What counts as a source
For legal and regulatory statements, only Australian government sources: the TGA, the Department of Health, state and territory health departments, and the legislation itself. Nothing else is authoritative on what Australian law requires.
For clinical statements, Australian clinical guidance (RACGP, PSA) and peer-reviewed research. We prefer systematic reviews to single studies.
For practical support, Quit, state Quitlines and healthdirect.
Contested questions
Whether vaping is safer than smoking, and how effective it is for quitting, are actively debated. Where a question is contested we say that it is contested and represent the Australian public health position, rather than selecting whichever study suits a commercial argument.
We also state plainly that no vaping product for smoking cessation or nicotine dependence is on the ARTG, and none has been assessed by the TGA for quality, safety or efficacy.
What we will not claim
- That any product we sell treats, cures or prevents disease.
- That any product is TGA-approved, registered or endorsed.
- That vaping is safe. It is not a safe activity.
- That vaping is a proven cessation treatment, when Australian regulators class these as unapproved goods.
- Anything we cannot link to a source you can check yourself.
When the evidence changes
We update the page and change the “last checked” date. Where a change reverses something we previously said, it is recorded under our corrections policy.