Nicotine Prescriptions

The TGA requires you to have a valid doctors prescription if you intend to import products that contain liquid nicotine; this includes nicotine vape juice, pre-filled nicotine pods and disposable vapes. You do not need a prescription to import zero-nicotine vape juice, vape devices, coils, pods & any other product that does not contain liquid-nicotine.

You can upload a copy of your prescription from your Caktus Vape account dashboard, you will only need to upload your script once, and we will automatically enclose a copy of your prescription inside all your future parcels.

Once your prescription is uploaded, as long as you use the same email address when you checkout or login before or during checkout, your prescription will automatically be attached to your order.

Click the button below to upload your prescription.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) recommends a copy of your prescription be enclosed within the package. While it is optional to upload your prescription to Caktus Vape, we highly recommend that you do, to avoid any possible clearance delays at the Australian Border.

Please be aware: If you don't upload a copy of your prescription to Caktus Vape or you do not hold a valid prescription, Caktus Vape cannot be held responsible for any seized shipments, clearance delays, nor be liable for any fines you may receive.

You can obtain a prescription from your doctor. However, it is possible that your regular doctor may not be aware, or not willing to prescribe nicotine e-cigarettes. Any medical practitioner who is an Authorised Prescriber can issue you a prescription even if they are not your regular doctor.

You can visit the TGA website, which lists doctors who are authorised prescribers who can issue 12-month nicotine prescriptions face to face, over the phone, online, or through email, even if they are not your regular doctor.

A common method to obtain a prescription is through an online service. Quitclinics.com is the easiest, fastest solution at the moment. The whole process is done online and they can have a 12-month script emailed to you within 24hrs of filling out their application.

Please note we are not sponsored nor affiliated with quit clinics or any authorised prescribers. This is for your information only.

The Authorised Prescriber Scheme allows authorised medical practitioners to write up to a 12-month prescription for nicotine-containing vape products. Any medical practitioner can sign up for the scheme, but many doctors are unaware, so they are not signed up.

If your doctor is not an authorised prescriber, they can still write you a prescription, but it will likely be valid for 3-months or less from the date on the prescription. Doctors who are not authorised prescribers need to get separate approval for individual patients from the TGA if the script is valid for longer than 3-months. This is a long and tedious process, so its best to get your script through an authorised prescriber.

You can visit the TGA website, which lists doctors who are authorised prescribers who can issue 12-month nicotine prescriptions face to face, over the phone, online, or through email, even if they are not your regular doctor.

The prescription vaping model's core reason is to balance the need to prevent young people from taking up nicotine e-cigarettes while allowing current smokers access to vape products for smoking cessation. This means your doctor is unlikely to give you a prescription if you are not or never have been a smoker trying to quit smoking cigarettes.

Your doctor or authorised prescriber will ask you questions about your smoking history, how many cigarettes you smoke daily and how long you have smoked. If you currently vape, they may ask you how much nicotine vape juice you consume daily, weekly or monthly and what nicotine strength/s you vape.

We have covered the key questions your doctor may ask you below, so its best to prepare this information ahead of time for them.

• The volume (ml) on your script
  Your prescriptions may contain a volume (ml) amount that can be imported per order. Suppose you are unsure how much e-liquid you consume daily, monthly or weekly. In that case, it's better to over-estimate your consumption than under-estimate when speaking with your doctor or authorised prescriber. For reference - The average vaper will vape a 30ml bottle of high nicotine strength vape juice (20mg+) every seven days.
• The nicotine strength on your script
  Your prescriptions may note a nicotine strength limit (mg) or range of nicotine strengths you can purchase. If you are unsure what nicotine strength you will purchase, or your nicotine strength varies; it's best to inform your doctor or authorised prescriber that you would like a nicotine strength range on your prescription, for example, 3mg to 50mg.
• The repeats on your script
  Your prescriptions may contain the number of times you can use it (Repeats), so it's best to explain your current purchasing frequency to your doctor or authorised prescriber so they can match your repeats to your purchase volume. However, the repeats on your script are specific to making your purchase at an Australian Pharmacy, not through the personal importation scheme.
• The length of your script
  Your prescriptions may contain a valid time-period. The length is dictated by how many cigarettes you smoked daily, how many years you were a smoker for and what methods you have tried in the past to quit smoking other than vaping. For example, an ex-smoker who smoked 20+ cigarettes a day and was a smoker for 11+ years, who has previously tried nicotine gum & patches, is more likely to be written a 12-month prescription.

DHL Express has implemented their own company policy around shipping vape products. They require us as the shipper to digitally provide them with a copy of your prescription before we dispatch your parcel. Because of this, you will only be given the option to ship with DHL Express at checkout if you have a prescription uploaded to Caktus Vape. If you don't have a prescription uploaded to Caktus Vape, you will be given a standard and express option with Australia Post only.

The Australian Border Force (ABF) is tasked with enforcing prescriptions. If your parcel is flagged for inspection at the border, the ABF has the authority to stop your import if you don't hold a valid prescription.

If no prescription is enclosed in the package, the ABF may request the (Therapeutic Goods Administration) TGA to investigate whether you hold a valid prescription or not. In this case, you will be contacted by the TGA, and they may request you to send a copy of your prescription. If you do not provide a copy of your prescription, the TGA has the power to order that the ABF seize and destroy the goods.

Please be aware: If you don't provide a copy of your prescription to Caktus Vape or you do not hold a valid prescription, Caktus Vape cannot be held responsible for any seized shipments nor be liable for any fines you may receive.

Your prescription may mention the number of times you can use it (Repeats). However, as we are not an Australian pharmacy, we are not able to report or verify how many times your prescription has been used. When you purchase with Caktus Vape, you are importing using the personal importation scheme.

The TGA says if you are using the Personal Importation Scheme, you can order a maximum of 3 months' supply at any one time. The 3 month supply rule has always been the case when importing nicotine-containing vape products, even before October 1st 2021. However, a 3-month supply is not a one-size-fits-all rule and is calculated based on your unique vaping habits as discussed with your doctor or authorised prescriber.