Key point: The New South Wales government in Australia has committed AUD 6.8 million over three years to combat illegal vape sales and increase support for young people addicted to vaping.
The New South Wales government in Australia has committed AUD 6.8 million over three years to crack down on illegal vape sales and expand support for young people addicted to vaping.Of this amount, AUD 4.3 million will be allocated over the next three years to strengthen compliance and enforcement, ensuring the state fulfills its responsibilities for the retail, wholesale, manufacture, and medicinal control of vaping products. In addition, AUD 2.5 million will be provided over the next 12 months to expand services that help young people quit smoking, including a new digital platform, improvements to the iCanQuit platform, and an online learning module for youth services across the state.As New South Wales Health expands compliance and monitoring activities statewide, it will also continue targeting retailers illegally selling nicotine vapes.Starting on September 5, 2023, New South Wales health inspectors carried out a targeted week-long operation against illegal vapes. During the operation, 23,247 vaping devices were seized, with a market value exceeding AUD 695,000. The total number of illegal vapes seized in New South Wales in 2023 is likely to be more than double the 2022 figure.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said: “We are committed to cracking down on illegal vapes, especially to protect children and young people from the harms of vaping. This is a major public health challenge, and action against illegally imported vapes requires cooperation across all levels of government.”
