Australia Takes Tougher Stance on Illegal E-Cigarette Market

Jan.11.2023
Australia Takes Tougher Stance on Illegal E-Cigarette Market
Australia cracks down on illegal e-cigarette sales with stricter laws and harsher penalties. Huge financial losses incurred from black market trade.

Australian health officials are calling for stricter laws and harsher punishments to crackdown on the illegal importation, distribution, and advertising of electronic cigarettes, as the number of violators has increased significantly in recent times.


According to a report by the Daily Mail, Australian retailers who have sold illegal nicotine e-cigarettes have been fined over $730,000 (approximately RMB 4.95 million) over the past 13 months, an increase of $110,000 (approximately RMB 750,000) compared to the previous year.


New data from the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration reveals that the ongoing sale of illegal e-cigarettes is causing significant losses to health budgets. However, cracking down on the black market trade represents a major expense, as e-cigarettes suspected of being illegal must undergo laboratory testing to detect the presence of nicotine.


In October 2021, Australia took action to combat the worsening epidemic by banning nicotine electronic cigarettes. However, these products are still readily available on the black market.



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