The Perceptions of Victorian Rural Community Pharmacists on the Dispensing and Supply of Vapes for Smoking Cessation and Nicotine Dependence: A Qualitative Study.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the perceptions of pharmacists in regional and rural Victoria in response to legislative changes stipulating that vapes for management of smoking cessation and nicotine dependence can only be sold at participating pharmacies.

Setting: Regional and rural locations in Victoria, Australia.

Participants: Fifteen registered pharmacists all currently working in rural community pharmacies, recruited through professional networks.

Design: A qualitative descriptive study utilising semi-structured interviews with pharmacists was undertaken between June and August 2025. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was undertaken and supported by NVivo 15.

Results: The interviews highlighted that while some pharmacists were clear about the supply of therapeutic vapes as part of their role in supporting smoking cessation and harm minimisation, some reported clinical, ethical and system-level concerns with supplying vapes. Others reported concerns for personal safety and liability and highlighted the impact that supplying vapes has on workflows within the pharmacy.

Conclusion: Overall, pharmacists expressed significant uncertainty and mixed views regarding the supply of therapeutic vapes in community pharmacy. Concerns centred on limited evidence, professional responsibility, regulatory clarity and workflow pressures. While some recognised potential harm-reduction benefits, greater consultation, clearer guidelines, stronger evidence and targeted education are needed to support safe and confident implementation.