Australia has implemented some of the world's strictest anti-vaping laws, limiting the sale of vapes exclusively to pharmacies since the beginning of July, with consumers required to present a doctor's prescription to buy vaping products.
From July 1, nicotine vapes in Australia are regulated as therapeutic goods, which means they are only available at pharmacies to help people quit smoking or manage nicotine dependence.
Until Sept. 30, everyone needs a prescription from a doctor or nurse practitioner to purchase therapeutic vapes from a pharmacy.
The government's decision, aimed at curbing the increasing use of vapes among young people, has garnered wide support from the public and health experts.
"Government needs to do more, absolutely," said a local in Sydney.
"We are protecting lung health. The idea of anyone who is not as familiar with lung disease, lung pathology, lung structure, lung function, saying that you can vape safely for a period of time and no risk of harm will accrue is, well, it just says more about the person who makes that claim," said Matthew Peters, professor of respiratory medicine at Macquarie University.
Australia has successfully cut smoking rates through strict anti-tobacco measures, including plain packaging and steep taxes.
But researchers warn that the popularity of vapes, particularly single-use types, threatens that success.
"Disposables are highly addictive, sweet, and incredibly cheap so it cuts by about 90 percent the cost of buying your first vaping product," said Peters.
In January, Australia's government banned the importation of single-use or disposable vapes.
There are concerns about how well the anti-vaping laws are enforced and the potential growth of black market vape sales, but many like Peters remain optimistic.
"When the sort of creases in the supply system are ironed out, this will be infinitely superior to having a consumer model," said the professor.
Australia's Labor Party proposed stricter vaping bans to limit sales to people with a medical need, but the proposal was dropped after opposition from Greens lawmakers who said it would restrict access for people trying to quit smoking.
Australia toughens anti-vaping laws, restricting sales to pharmacies
Chinese industrial enterprises are actively expanding production as new engineering projects surged in September, reaching a record high this year.
Data released by the State Taxation Administration on Sunday showed that sales revenues of industrial manufacturers grew by 3.6 percent year on year in the first three quarters, indicating a steady growth in industrial production during this period.
In September, 50.76 percent of construction machinery nationwide was in operation, up 0.75 percent from August, suggesting an acceleration in construction activity across the country. Among them, lifting and digging equipment were the most frequently used.
"There are many large new or expansion projects now underway in the country, and the speed of construction is increasing," said Shen Chunfeng, an expert in engineering machinery index data at ROOTCloud, an industrial internet platform solution provider.
The northeast region is currently leading the country in engineering construction activities. In Harbin, the capital city of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, construction is in full swing at new project sites.
"Nearly 300 workers are working simultaneously at the construction site even overtime to speed up the external wall insulation project for the research buildings No. 1 and No. 2," said Meng Xiangxin, technical director of a municipal engineering company in Harbin.
By the end of September, nearly 96.5 percent of the 1,500 key projects in Heilongjiang had begun construction, 4.5 percentage points higher than the same time last year, covering infrastructure projects in areas like water conservation, road upgrades, and underground piping systems.
Meanwhile, the number of projects awarded through successful bidding is rapidly increasing, with business expansion projects up 5.8 percent year on year in the third quarter. In September, the growth rate of awarded contracts reached 28.4 percent, which is the highest this year, indicating a significant pickup in enterprise expansion activity.
"This shows that industrial enterprises are optimistic about future market demand. Their business confidence and expectations are boosted, which drives a steady increase in investment and expansion activities. As a range of new policies continues to take effect, companies' expectations for future market demand are expected to improve, further encouraging them to expand and enhance their operational vitality," said Yang Daoling, an official of the Department of Big Data Development, State Information Center.
Chinese industrial enterprises expand with increasing construction projects
