Some of the country’s biggest chemist chains are lining up in opposition to a decision to restrict vape sales to pharmacies.

Under legislation that passed federal parliament on Thursday and will come into effect on Monday, vapes will sold only over-the-counter at community pharmacies.

Health Minister Mark Dreyfus has hailed the world-leading legislation, saying it will spare a new generation the “death and dislocation” of nicotine addiction.

But the Pharmacy Guild of Australia is furious, while the legislation is also opposed by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, TerryWhite Chemmart, Priceline, National Pharmacies, Blooms and Pharmacy 777 pharmacy groups. The guild says thousands of independent pharmacies are also against the change.

Guild national vice-president Anthony Tassone said the legislation passed on Thursday compromised community health and did not take into consideration the safety or efficacy of vapes as a smoking cessation device.

“Pharmacists are healthcare professionals and community pharmacies do not want to supply this potentially harmful, highly addictive product without a prescription,” he said.

“Thanks to this secret, Greens-led deal, community pharmacies across Australia are being asked to supply nicotine-containing vapes without a prescription.”

Under the new laws, pharmacists will be able to sell vapes with limited nicotine content over the counter, once they have a discussion with a person about health harms and confirm they’re over 18.

The laws were changed with the support of the Greens following negotiations in the Senate.

Butler said the changes would protect young people from being hooked on nicotine through vaping,

“We are not going to stand by and let our new generation be recruited to nicotine addiction, not after all of the death and the dislocation and the grief that we have seen for decades and decades because of tobacco,” he told parliament on Thursday.

“This product was sold to us as a therapeutic good.

“It was never presented as a recreational product, particularly not one that would be so cynically, so transparently, marketed to our children.”

The pharmacists’ guild said vaping products had not been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration and no nicotine-containing vape is listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.

“Pharmacists can only supply a schedule 3 medicine if there is an established therapeutic need. When we don’t know the long-term effects of vapes on patient safety, how can a pharmacist make an informed decision?” Tassone said.

“We are deeply disappointed that public policy has been developed in a vacuum without consultation prior to these amendments being passed.”

Independent MPs are also critical, saying the laws are a watered-down version of the original legislation, which would have required a prescription to buy a vape.

Independent MP Zali Steggall told the lower house the Senate deal had diluted the effect of the reforms.

“We now have a situation where pharmacies are going to be asked to sell over the counter a product that we know, from a health perspective, is dangerous, has a negative impact on people’s health,” she said.

“I cannot see how this is a positive development for the government to have caved in for these amendments.”

Butler said the laws ensured therapeutic access to vapes remained while banning the sale of recreational vapes from general retail stores.

“Almost every month, we are gathering new evidence about the harms that vaping is causing to young lungs, the harms, particularly that nicotine addiction is causing to the mental health of young Australians,” he said.

“Most insidiously, we know this is a gateway to cigarettes, and that was the intention of big tobacco.”

-with AAP