Should Dried Herb Vapes Be Allowed to Be Posted on OzBargain?

Doy on 26/07/2023 - 15:47
Last edited 26/07/2023 - 16:51

G'day! I went to post a competition deal for a dried herb vaporiser, and was surprised to see the retailer was banned from posting.

After a conversation with a moderator, it became apparent that there is a blanket ban on eCigarettes / vaporisers. There are previous threads about it here and here discussing as much.

My point is as follows: while dry herb vaporisers (vapes) have a common name to the nicotine vapes so prevalent in society today, they aren't related to tobacco or nicotine consumption. They're fully legal to be sold and advertised for the use of aromatherapy with all kinds of legal herbs (e.g. "All items on this site are intended for legal aromatherapy purposes only and are not designed for use with nicotine / tobacco / medical products"). Of course, however, it would be obtuse to ignore that they are very commonly used to ingest cannabis, and is a product many have transitioned to for their cannabis consumption to avoid the harmful impacts of ingesting smoke.

I do believe these products sit in an entirely different category to eCigs / nicotine vapes, and that our interpretation of the rule casts too wide of a net to be including these products in our ban.

Look forward to hearing the thoughts of the community, and of course, whatever the case we must ultimately respect the decisions of our hard-working moderators :)

TL;DR – our rule states "Cigarette/Tobacco and related items (banned Australia-wide Tobacco Advertising Prohibition Act 1992). Examples of related items: cigarette cases that disguise plain packaging, e-cigarettes." Posting deals for eCigs/vapes can be seen as advertising by the TGA, and OzB could be in trouble for that. That seems totally reasonable. However, at current, it seems OzB interprets that rule in a way that dried herb vaporisers would be included in this too.

Poll Options

  • 115
    Yes, allow dry herb vapes to be posted
  • 385
    No, dry herb vapes should be included in the previous interpretation and stay banned
  • 5
    Unsure
Site Discussion

Comments

  • duk242 on 26/07/2023 - 15:53
    +20

    Should bongs that are shaped and called "Flower Vases" be allowed?

    Are these dried herb vapes able to be used for weed? I wouldn't want the TGA on my arse, so I can see why they'd be banned. Better to be safe than sorry!

    • djkelly69 on 26/07/2023 - 15:59

      "Water pipes"?

      • duk242 on 26/07/2023 - 16:00
        +2

        "Oh I just use this to blow fun bubbles in water!" blubblubblubblub

    • knobbs on 27/07/2023 - 09:44

      Better can Powerade sales too then

    • meong on 27/07/2023 - 21:26

      What about pop top juice?

    • 1Kenobi on 28/07/2023 - 11:43
      +2

      TGA approved dry herb vapes exist (for medicinal use)

      • Sammy Boi on 29/07/2023 - 07:27

        Correct but I doubt anybody around here understands that

    • Sammy Boi on 29/07/2023 - 07:26

      What does a bong have to do with a dry herb vaporiser?

      And if you're going to say they can both be used for cannabis so can pretty much anything

  • spackbace on 26/07/2023 - 15:53

    It does become too difficult (imo) to only post select things like that.

    It's the same as sites like "lovehoney" being banned, despite the fact that lingerie etc is perfectly fine to post

    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 26/07/2023 - 17:27
      +23

      Maude Flanders : Excuse me, Edna. I don't think
      we're talking about love(honey) here. We are talking about S-E-X in front of the C-H-I-L-D-R-E-N!

      Krusty the Clown : Sex Cauldron? I thought they closed that place down!

  • o53djz7qTPY4der on 26/07/2023 - 15:55
    +14

    Personally, I don't think we should be encouraging vapes as a 'safe' alternative to traditional smoking/nicotine. Or further, any form of 'smoking'.

    • ThithLord on 26/07/2023 - 16:55
      +4

      OP is referring to dry-herb vape. You appear to be referring to liquid vapes, which are different.

    • hetzjagd on 28/07/2023 - 08:31
      +4

      The post isn’t about a device for consuming nicotine. Also vapor is not smoke.

      You can post cheap alcohol deals all day though. Really healthy that.

      • o53djz7qTPY4der on 28/07/2023 - 12:10
        -3

        I didn't say it was about nicotine. I very specifically said we shouldn't be encouraging it as a 'safe' alternative to nicotine.

        • hetzjagd on 28/07/2023 - 12:56
          +1

          How would it be considered an alternative to nicotine? They’re seperate substances with drastically different effects.

    • Sammy Boi on 29/07/2023 - 07:28
      +2

      Hey look another person with a comment irrelevant to this post getting massive votes by the boomers and uneducated

  • [Deactivated] on 26/07/2023 - 16:08
    -2

    dried herb vapes

    I'm just about to replace my broken mortar & pestle so let me know if dried herbs can be turned into a side hustle?

  • pegaxs on 26/07/2023 - 16:29
    +1

    LOL @ "dried herb" and "vape" used together… Another word for "dried herb" is weed, and the type of "vape" it is consumed with is called a "bong".

    And holy shit, your TL;DR is longer than the post itself…

    • SBOB on 26/07/2023 - 16:33
      +4

      no no no… clearly they are just being sold for people that love oregano and thyme vaping…

      • spackbace on 26/07/2023 - 16:41
        +12

        Aint nobody got thyme for that!

    • ThithLord on 26/07/2023 - 16:58
      +20

      Dry-herb vapes are just that - a vape with a heating element, such as ceramic, that vaporises the crystals on herb, avoiding the combustion.

      Source: Medicinal Cannabis user.

      Totally legal, morally and literally.

    • DangerNoodle on 28/07/2023 - 07:49
      +2

      They're different to a bong. More like a mini convection oven with a mouthpiece. Hypothetically speaking the temperatures can be adjusted so that patients can trigger the terpene release and get the medicinal effects without necessarily needing to release the THC content.

      As I recall, for medicinal cannabis use there are only certain devices that are approved by the TGA but I can't blame OzBargain for now allowing anything close to advertising. There were $1.3million in fines issued last year related to medicinal cannabis in Australia.

    • digitalbath on 28/07/2023 - 16:28
      +3

      Of course it’s weed. But a dry “herb” vape is not a bong. And holy shit, you haven’t a clue.

    • Cusack on 29/07/2023 - 00:40
      +1

      Pls read up on it first

    • Sammy Boi on 29/07/2023 - 07:38

      Another term for Boomer is uneducated… Image referring to a bong as a vape LOL.

      You sir are delusional

  • Nillionaire on 26/07/2023 - 16:32
    +16

    So what's the logic behind allowing alcohol but disallowing smokables? Just asking, not advocating in either direction.

    • coffeeinmyveins on 26/07/2023 - 17:40
      +23

      Alcohol is ingrained into the literal fabric of society. If it was invented today it would be banned and seen as worse than meth

      • LV-426 on 27/07/2023 - 15:14
        -1

        Which in of itself is where things on that topic are so convoluted..
        Defo agreed if invented today it would be a whole different conversation around/about it

    • payless69 on 26/07/2023 - 18:13
      -1

      Alcohols are a form of modified sugar hydrocarbon. Grown as a cash crop, can fuel vehicles, clean things, aid in chemical products and most important of all it makes the peasants happy to be slaves. Primary damage to society is hidden behind big advertising giants. For secondary damages the government borrows unlimited money to throw at it!

      Smoke signals can disturb air trafic….

      • donga100 on 26/07/2023 - 20:27
        +4

        Neither alcohol nor sugar are hydrocarbons. Cannabis is also grown as a cash crop, can fuel vehicles, clean things, aid in chemical products and most important of all it makes the peasants happy to be slaves.

        • afoveht on 26/07/2023 - 23:20

          You missed the main point:

          it makes the peasants happy to be slaves.

          Similar reason dexys are legal - they help improve productivity and fitting in with the current narrative.

          Substances that challenge the establishment = automatically bad.

        • payless69 on 27/07/2023 - 08:16

          OMG, if not hydrocarbons then the food guru's call them carbohydrates.
          Main constituents: Carbon and hydrogen, and a tiny bit of oxygen to make you high. If bongs would be used in combinations with oxygen generators I would not oppose them.
          In my apprenticeship we used hemp extensively to seal cast iron pipes. Much better and lasting than that poisonous teflon. Some folks smoked the hemp so slowly plumbing supplies had to find sources of low THC hemp.
          European bakeries make extensive use of hemp seeds on baking. Low THC hemp stores are flooding Europe.
          Btw: I managed to buy a dedicated vape to melt flux to aid soldering. Would I use it to vape? No way!

          • donga100 on 27/07/2023 - 13:13
            +2

            @payless69:

            OMG, if not hydrocarbons then the food guru's call them carbohydrates.

            Alcohol (ethanol) isn't a carbohydrate either. You can call it an organic compound (H+C+O), but cannabis falls into the same category.

            In my apprenticeship we used hemp extensively to seal cast iron pipes. Much better and lasting than that poisonous teflon.

            Well Teflon isn't exactly know for its adhesive qualities…

          • terrys on 28/07/2023 - 11:38
            +1

            @payless69:

            Main constituents: Carbon and hydrogen,

            Then to save confusion we should call them all fruitcakes. FWIW, if you were to add a "little bit of oxygen" to the carbon and hydrogen, you would manage to convert your "hydrocarbon" to an alcohol, ester or sugar.

            had to find sources of low THC hemp.

            If you're talking about the fibre then no, it would be very very hard to find any source of any THC hemp fibre, despite the apprentices getting as "stoned" as they would off the effects of the cigarette paper they used to roll it - or could that be the "tiny bit of oxygen to make you high", the rational behind the age restrictions on how much atmosphere one can breath…

            extensive use of hemp seeds on baking

            Yes. You can buy them at Coles. They would be either heat/irradiated treated not to sprout or from a particular weedy strain of cannabis. There is no need to remove the THC - I doubt you'd be able to put enough in your stomach to absorb some.

  • MrThing on 26/07/2023 - 16:35
    -1

    Lol "dried herbs" noice, good try but no…….you mean an electric bong right?

    Also OP you need an option on your poll called: "OP doesn't know what TL;DR means"

    • hetzjagd on 28/07/2023 - 08:33

      Do you consider rolling papers a “paper bong”?

      This has nothing to do with bongs or smoking.

    • SpainKing on 28/07/2023 - 08:42

      They come in non-electric varieties too (eg the Dynavap)

      A vaporiser is also distinct in that it doesn't combust (burn) the mariguana in to smoke that needs to be inhaled, but instead a vapor (hence "vaporiser")

      Smoke is not good for the lungs at the best of times making vapor an option that is likely safer as it is significantly less hot than smoke. It is also not able to be mixed with tobacco ("spun") removing any tar component that may be associated

    • digitalbath on 28/07/2023 - 16:30
      +1

      We need another poll for people who clearly have no idea what a weed vape is, and must be boring as f$&@.

  • coffeeinmyveins on 26/07/2023 - 17:40
    +12

    They're fully legal to be sold and advertised for the use of aromatherapy

    I think we should ban anything to do with aromatherapy tbh.

    you really think it's safe to inhale that crap? lol

    • cookie2 on 27/07/2023 - 06:45
      -2

      You really think everything we consume is 100% perfectly safe and without any risk at all? … exactly.

    • SpainKing on 28/07/2023 - 08:35
      +1

      I reckon it's safer than mainlining coffee in to your veins

  • jv on 26/07/2023 - 18:37

    No

  • jugsy on 26/07/2023 - 19:10
    +2

    Probs gonna be legalised more in the near future, may as well get ahead of the curve

  • Third_Gear on 26/07/2023 - 19:49
    +18

    THC is already legal and easily accessible via a prescription model. Very easy to get and consume legally. Not that expensive too. Still a lot of negative stigma attached to it, which is funny, because it is perfectly acceptable to consume large amounts of alcohol and drink yourself into oblivion.

    • King Tightarse on 26/07/2023 - 20:12
      -2

      "because it is perfectly acceptable to consume large amounts of alcohol and drink yourself into oblivion"
      I don't think you will find many people agreeing with that statement

      • cookie2 on 27/07/2023 - 06:48
        +6

        Disagree. Take xmas parties as an example, people get smashed and it's relatively acceptable (depending on the person and HOW smashed). It must be acceptable to drink considerable quantities otherwise bottomless brunches and other promotions wouldn't be a thing.

        • King Tightarse on 27/07/2023 - 09:12
          +1

          "drinking yourself into oblivion" - means absolutely wiped out drunk.
          All medical and Govt advice is dead against this. Maybe some Xmas work parties but would not be a good idea in most professional situations

    • Horacio on 26/07/2023 - 23:02
      +10

      This is a good reason to say yes.. Cannabis is now legal as a medication so why not allow folks to advertise the equipment? Yes it is banned for sale to some people, but just as alcohol is also to under 18s.

      • smalltime0 on 27/07/2023 - 07:43
        +2

        Advertising prescription medication is just about the most legally nebulous thing to advertise in Australia.
        The short of it is, anything that is prescription only cannot be publicly advertised.

        • jollibot on 27/07/2023 - 09:28
          +4

          It's a good job they're discussing tools to utilise a prescription then, rather than the prescription itself, hey?

          • SpainKing on 28/07/2023 - 08:44
            +1

            @jollibot: Nah I say we ban the water those elderly use to swallow their heart meds

        • CowFrogHorse on 27/07/2023 - 19:50

          Another reason example of why third party advertising in all its forms should be banned, because of the consequences having dramatically negative outcomes, eg the cost of medicines in the usa.

    • Thaal Sinestro on 28/07/2023 - 05:40
      +4

      It's strange, although marijuana is illegal, it is much easier to acquire medical marijuana than medical stimulants or medical opiates (the latter are Schedule 8 and require State government approval, except cocaine and heroine which are completely illegal). Still, I wouldn't say that medical pot is cheap. The average cost for a month's supply is ~$275, which is a lot for someone on a low income (a months supply of an antihypertensive is $7.30 in comparison, if you have a Health Care Card).

      Vapes, cannabis and everything else should be fully legal. End the war on drugs.

      • DangerNoodle on 28/07/2023 - 08:04

        Medical Cannabis does fall into Schedule 8 for certain products. Only products where CBD makes up more than 98% of the cannabinoid content is Schedule 3-4 (no product approved for Schedule 3 yet), every product that has less than 98% CBD is Schedule 8, which requires you local drug of dependence equivalent approval for ongoing use. All patients receiving medical cannabis prescriptions (including S4 and S8) require TGA approval via an SAS form or an Authorised Prescriber pathway.

        Regarding cost, there are some brands that offer lower prices to low income earners. Not subsidised, but can be less than $200 per month. Although this may go up, the TGA recently put more restrictions on the sourcing side of medicinal cannabis which adds to the cost and may affect availability.

  • capslock janitor on 26/07/2023 - 22:04
    +1

    herbaceously yes

  • cookie2 on 27/07/2023 - 06:51
    -1

    Unfortunately I understand why they're banned but I don't agree. Unfortunately the tga rule on this one and they really wanna control the smoke game. Whatever you're smoking.

  • ozbjunkie on 27/07/2023 - 07:30
    +7

    No reason medical devices can't be posted here, we have had beds and mobility aids before.

    But I'd imagine mods perspective is it's an all ages site, not all dry herb vapes are for medical purposes, and while unfortunately their actions would perpetuate the stigma against medical cannabis use, the policy is nonetheless going to be popular with the majority, who I'm sure don't want their kids looking at ads for things to vape cannabis with, or these items popping up on the page at work.

    And yet we are practically an advertising website for booze!! (Not a fair argument because weed has a medical use, whereas booze doesn't, so it's a purely recreational substance, not a medical one).

    Tldr alcohol good weed bad and let's not go further than that because it's a damn hard position to defend.

    • SpainKing on 28/07/2023 - 08:58

      Very reasonably made points and I'm glad you acknowledged the alcohol point

      However, I think it's a bit silly for these parents to assume their kids under 18 have enough disposable income to be using OzBargain. At the age they do have that income they're in high school where the prevalence of vapes is far higher than it could hope to garner here (unless they become a front page deal several times a day). I see someone vaping just about every day I'm outside around people, normally multiple times. Alcohol is allowed to be advertised but we don't let people openly consume it except on licenced/private premises but vaping seems to have it the opposite way around

      Acting as if advertising them on this bargain site is going to make it an unfriendly place for highschoolers feels a bit "won't somebody think of the children!". If they're still in primary school it's unlikely they know what a vape is/looks like (but perhaps I'm out of touch and all the Year 6's are going down behind the shed at recess for a cheeky bag fresh off the Volcano)

      Thanks for giving me a spot to rant

    • smalltime0 on 31/07/2023 - 12:21

      Erm, as dickish as it sounds to bring it up…. alcohol does actually have medical uses.
      Not just as a cleaner/solvent, certain toxins are metabolised by the liver and having the liver being busy processing alcohol can actually delay the toxins effect.
      Not just for Methanol, the liver loves to process ethanol above a lot of other substances.
      And that is my excuse every Friday night :P

  • mike6969 on 27/07/2023 - 08:20

    No

  • Seraphin7 on 27/07/2023 - 11:31
    -1

    I personally believe that any product or service that is legal should be able to be promoted.

    • King Tightarse on 27/07/2023 - 13:46

      So cigarettes?

    • SpainKing on 28/07/2023 - 08:59

      What if I'm in international waters?

  • HelpMeiCantSee on 27/07/2023 - 15:06
    -1

    Vapes ftw.

  • Herbse on 27/07/2023 - 18:04

    I voted yes by mistake but I agree that they should be banned. I've never seen a deal for them but if cigs and vapes are banned then same with these makes sense.

  • Dack Smith on 27/07/2023 - 19:04
    -6

    Yes, I thought we were living in a free country, or is it a Labor dictatorship?

    Not sure why vapes are banned?

    • YellowDieselGolf on 27/07/2023 - 19:28
      -1

      ThAnKs fOr bAnNiNg vApEs DaN!

    • CowFrogHorse on 27/07/2023 - 19:49
      +1

      If you want to drive thru red lights at 200km and hit over anybody in their way they should otherwise we dont live in a free country.

      Pathetic, you dont understand that laws give you freedom, the laws about drink driving and traffic lights give us the freedom of a significantly safer roads that your total anarchy system would give us.

      • ssfps on 28/07/2023 - 03:24

        Pathetic, you don't understand that laws give you freedom, the laws forcing undesirables to be re-homed in work villages give us the freedom to enjoy significantly safer cities and cheaper commodity prices than your total anarchy system would give us.

        I agree, CowFrogHorse, it's so simple.

  • CowFrogHorse on 27/07/2023 - 19:51
    -5

    What a sad like you must have Doy if you need to be smashed off your head.

    • 10fps on 27/07/2023 - 20:43
      +1

      I use it as pain medication, its better than taking opiods.

    • SpainKing on 28/07/2023 - 09:01
      +1

      Old mate can't even write a coherent sentence and he's out here acting superior

      • CowFrogHorse on 28/07/2023 - 17:12
        -1

        Yeh because getting high or wasted is such a superior action. It takes such talent to get drunk and abuse your wife or kids so they are scared of you. Do i need to mention how many families are ruined because dad or mum piss the money away and have none for the needs or kids ?

        Yeh drinking and smoking stuff is for real heroes.

        • SpainKing on 29/07/2023 - 00:10

          I didn't say it was superior, the people getting drunk and high every day have an addiction or do so out of medical necessity like 10fps above. I'm sure many of them would like to stop too but addiction is akin to a mental illness so it's not the easiest thing to just stop, as is chronic pain. If you'd prefer those with chronic pain take opioids which are far more addictive and destructive to an addicted individual you can advocate for the mods to allow deals on black market opiates

          You've literally made up a person that drinks and smokes all day and are basing your argument on a figment of your imagination. Plenty of people abuse their kids and don't provide for their needs that don't abuse substances

          The real heroes are the ones passing judgement on those struggling with substance abuse. Their actions are far superior to anyone who might offer sympathy and try to help those struggling

  • ExpressCoffee on 27/07/2023 - 22:54
    +6

    Everyone who voted no is a damn narc!

    • kaleidoscope on 28/07/2023 - 00:01

      Wait till next year for things to be legalised in 3 more states

  • dogboy on 27/07/2023 - 23:11
    +3

    Can we also please allow deals on firearms and accessories. Infuriating that something legal for licensed users is banned here. Too many damn pearl clutchers on this site that need to grow tf up.

    • SpainKing on 28/07/2023 - 09:06
      +1

      I really hope those hippies don't try to shoot their marijuana vapor bullets all through my flesh and scrotum

      If anything, I'd argue they're more dangerous than guns. At least with guns I know I can trust someone else to moderate its use and help me avoid harm. With marijuana I'd have to exercise self control over my own actions and fight off crazed lunatics suffering from reefer madness trying to steal all my white women >:o

  • field1985 on 28/07/2023 - 05:24

    These are medical devices I need to use my medication prescribed by a TGA approved doctor.
    How dare the moderators ban it!

    • hetzjagd on 28/07/2023 - 08:37

      Feels a little like discrimination to me. I’m a medical cannabis patient.

      • MrThing on 28/07/2023 - 09:08

        im a medical LSD user, why cant they advertise my medicine

  • relentless on 28/07/2023 - 09:23

    Hayfever

  • Willy Beamish on 28/07/2023 - 12:14
    +5

    Just like with the government, don't expect to have any reasonable conversations regarding vaping here.

  • KaTst3R on 28/07/2023 - 14:21

    Is this like a Cilantro or Basil vape?

  • RolandWaites on 28/07/2023 - 15:10

    Interesting one, not least because there are vaporisers (or at least one that I know of) in Australia that are essentally endorsed by existing health legislation. A lot of people don't realise it's actually remarkably easy to get legal medicinal marijuana in Australia these days.

    But I'm not surprised dry herb vapes are against forum rules and while I think there is an argument for them to be permitted, I would fear it leads down a messy road of eventually having to argue that these are allowed but more conventioan liquid vapes shouldn't be.

    • jt90 on 28/07/2023 - 19:29
      +2

      As you mentioned there are a couple of dry herb vaporisers that are TGA approved

      https://www.tga.gov.au/resources/artg/319028

      If OZB were to allow dry herb vapes then it should be only ones that are TGA approved but agree that this would probably open up the floodgates for people wanting other non-TGA approved dry herb vapes let alone the nicotine ones.

  • digitalbath on 28/07/2023 - 16:24

    A deal is a deal. Why are the nancys who run this site so out of touch?

    • Randolph Duke on 28/07/2023 - 18:18
      -3

      87 Yes votes
      307 No

      No, no, it’s the mods who are out of touch

    • King Tightarse on 28/07/2023 - 20:33
      -1

      Wait "nancy" is an very old English slang word for homosexuals.
      You are calling Scotty and the mods "nancys" because you don't like the poll results?
      Lol, really, are you sure?

      • digitalbath on 28/07/2023 - 21:07
        +1

        Interpret it however you want.

        • King Tightarse on 28/07/2023 - 21:10
          -1

          yes, well I am old enough to know the exact meaning and I used to live in the UK too, so I am sure.
          Nancy = means gays but its intended as a pejorative term.
          Can't get away with that kind of talk these days

          • digitalbath on 28/07/2023 - 21:11

            @King Tightarse: Like I said. Interpret however you want.

            • King Tightarse on 28/07/2023 - 21:13
              -1

              @digitalbath: It is not open to interpretation, there is only one way to read it.
              Can't edit now lol

              • digitalbath on 28/07/2023 - 21:14

                @King Tightarse: Why would I edit it?

                • King Tightarse on 28/07/2023 - 21:17
                  -1

                  @digitalbath: because you cant go around calling people gay-hate names, especially these days.
                  Also its not very smart hanging crap in the site owner and mods.

                  • Willy Beamish on 28/07/2023 - 21:25

                    @King Tightarse: If you're going to be that ignorant I'm sure you'd have no problem using the f slur based on its actual meaning then. Oh wait, pick and choose when to be victimised right, that's how you people operate.

                    • King Tightarse on 28/07/2023 - 21:28

                      @Willy Beamish: "you people" - Lol Okaayy

                      that was a surprising crack - I have NFI what you are trying to say. Have another go and make yourself clearer

                    • King Tightarse on 28/07/2023 - 21:36

                      @Willy Beamish: Perhaps you misunderstood.
                      Just for clarity, I was suggesting that it is not OK to use anti-gay language such as calling people "nancys", especially these days. It has the same meaning as the 'f' word.
                      I don't particularly care myself, I am not offended by any language, but some gay people could be offended and its not smart to call the site owner names.

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