The Australian Senate has voted to ban nicotine imports.

Morris here, I'm writing to you today with some good and not-so-great news regarding the future of vaping in Australia.

The shortest version:

The slightly shorter version:

1. The Australian senate has passed a motion which basically says "we think that nicotine imports should be banned".
2. This is not a law - nothing has changed.
3. Your vape mail is perfectly safe!
4. If the situation does change, we will let you know well in advance, and it is our policy to reimburse any customers affected.

We have a good 6-12 months before any possible changes occur - and we'll know well in advance - you do not need to "stock up for the apocalypse"!

The long version:

The bad news is that Senator Stirling Griff of the Centre Alliance put forward a motion in the Australian Senate, which calls on the government to ban the importation of nicotine-containing e-liquids and vaping devices - this motion was supported by both major parties and passed accordingly.

With nearly every single civilised nation on earth acknowledging the harm-reduction benefits of vaping, the Australian parliament once again has voted against the best interests of the people they represent - ie, you.

The good news is that you can take action now to protect your rights.

If you want these elected officials to continue to erode your rights, all you need to do is absolutely nothing.

The best thing you can do right this second is to reach out to these elected representatives and let them know that they are not representing your interests.

Legalise Vaping Australia (LVA) has built a handy contact form which connects you to your local MP with your concerns - it will take less than five minutes out of your day.

While I have you, please please please consider donating to the Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association (ATHRA) and Legalise Vaping Australia (LVA).

These organisations are spending every waking moment fighting for YOUR rights as a vaper. YOUR rights to choose a less harmful, more affordable alternative to smoking.

This fight is not easy, nor is it cheap - every dollar helps.

So, please, support the people who support you, and most importantly support the millions of smokers who haven't yet had the opportunity to make the switch.

Still reading? Great! I have one last smidgen of more good news - we still (technically) live in a Democracy!

Your voice matters, and you vote counts. It's impossible to waste your vote!

If you need help deciding which party you align with, check out Vote Compass, a nifty tool which asks you a bunch of questions then lets you know which parties or candidates most closely align to your views.

Finally - and most importantly - stay strong. 
We can get through this together.

I know how easy it is to feel helpless in times like these, how easy it is to feel like your singular voice doesn't matter.

But I promise you, it does.

Write, call, meet with your local MP.

Tell them your story, be polite, calm and collected. Dispel the myths, help them understand.

Your local member is just a regular person like you or me, trying to do the best they can to represent and protect their electorate. 

All it takes is a little bit of your time (and theirs) to have any mis-information corrected - and hey, you might even get a free coffee out of it!

Your friend, always.

Mo.