Key Points
- Australia banned vape advertising across all media platforms, including social media, in 2024.
- Guardian Australia found illegal vape promotions on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
- TGA said it removed more than 8,500 unlawful vape advertising posts between January 2024 and June 2026.
- ABC News reported that illicit tobacco and vape sellers are using e-commerce websites, WhatsApp and delivery services.
- Regulators said online enforcement is becoming more important as illegal shopfronts are shut down.
2Firsts
July 15, 2026
According to Guardian Australia, illegal vape sellers are still using TikTok, Instagram and YouTube to promote nicotine-filled products to Australian consumers, despite a 2024 ban on vape advertising across all media platforms, including social media.
Separately, ABC News reported on July 14 that Australia’s illicit tobacco market is also moving from physical stores to online platforms. Some websites operate with e-commerce-style pages, offering cheap tobacco and vapes with nationwide delivery through Australia Post.
Vape Promotions Remain Visible on Social Media
Guardian Australia identified a network of posts across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube promoting illegal vape products to Australian audiences. The accounts offered popular vape brands and often claimed the products were distributed from local Australian warehouses with express shipping and delivery within days.
In most cases, the accounts directed viewers to place orders through private messages or encrypted messaging apps such as WhatsApp. Guardian Australia said many posts used similar visuals and editing techniques, suggesting some degree of coordination across platforms. Some content also appeared to be AI-generated.
The report also found that some vape content had been boosted on TikTok as paid advertising.
TGA Says It Removed More Than 8,500 Illegal Vape Ads
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) said it was aware of large numbers of similar posts and was taking sustained action to remove illegal content.
Between January 2024 and June 2026, TGA said it removed more than 8,500 unlawful vape advertising posts from social media and redirected more than 390 websites unlawfully advertising vaping goods. The agency also issued more than 90 infringement notices, resulting in more than A$1.5 million in fines.
Becky Freeman, a public health researcher at the University of Sydney, said the content continued to appear because accountability was focused largely on individual sellers rather than platforms. She called for enforcement at the platform level, not only the removal of individual ads.
TikTok, Instagram and YouTube each confirmed to Guardian Australia that the identified content violated their community guidelines. The three platforms said they had banned or terminated the accounts identified in the report.
Illicit Tobacco Sales Shift to Online Marketplaces
ABC News reported that Australia’s illicit tobacco trade is increasingly operating through online channels. Some websites resemble ordinary e-commerce stores, with product pages, health warnings and a wide range of tobacco products, but pricing and payment methods indicate black-market activity.
ABC said it purchased a carton containing 10 packets of illicit tobacco through one of the websites and had it delivered to its Melbourne office. The carton cost A$150, about one-third of the equivalent legal product. For an extra A$20, express delivery was available. The website requested payment via direct bank transfer and communicated with customers through WhatsApp, providing an Australia Post tracking number. The products arrived within three business days.
Australia’s Illicit Tobacco and E-cigarette Commissioner Amber Shuhyta said shopfronts remain the main area for illicit tobacco and nicotine sales, but online sales are evolving. She said that as shopfronts close, authorities must also take down websites so the trade does not proliferate online.
Online Channels Add New Enforcement Challenges
ABC reported that Australian authorities at all levels have intensified enforcement against illicit tobacco. In the 2024/25 financial year, the Australian Border Force seized more than 2.1 kilotons of illicit tobacco and more than 6 million illicit vapes entering the country.
Former Australian Border Force commissioner Michael Outram told ABC that, based on publicly available evidence, he questioned whether current enforcement had sufficiently reduced the illicit tobacco market. Shuhyta said agencies were seeing more seizures, arrests, store closures and asset confiscations.
ABC also cited Australian Bureau of Statistics data released in June showing that 80% of tobacco and nicotine products consumed in Australia in 2025 came from illicit sources, while nicotine consumption increased by almost 40% between 2017 and 2025.
For Australian regulators, illicit tobacco and vape sales are no longer limited to retail stores, warehouses and border smuggling. The market is increasingly extending into social media, encrypted messaging apps, e-commerce websites and logistics networks. Future enforcement is likely to involve not only product seizures but also platform accountability, website takedowns, payment monitoring and delivery-chain oversight.
Follow 2Firsts for the latest updates on global tobacco harm reduction, nicotine products and regulatory developments.
Cover Image source: The Guardian
Disclaimer
This article is provided solely for professional research, industry discussion, and informational purposes. Any references to brands, companies, products, technologies, or policies are made for factual reporting and analytical purposes only, and do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, promotion, or advertising by 2Firsts.
Nicotine-containing products, including but not limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, carry significant health risks. Readers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions, including age restrictions and access limitations.
The information contained in this article should not be regarded as investment, legal, medical, regulatory, or commercial advice. While 2Firsts strives to ensure the accuracy and reliability of its content, it does not assume liability for any direct or indirect loss arising from errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or reliance on the information contained herein.
This article is not intended for individuals below the legal age for accessing tobacco or nicotine-related information in their jurisdiction.
Copyright Notice
This article is either original content produced by 2Firsts or content reproduced, translated, summarized, or adapted from third-party sources with attribution where applicable. The intellectual property rights of the original content remain with 2Firsts or the respective original rights holders.
No individual or organization may copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, modify, translate, or otherwise use this content without prior authorization. Any unauthorized use may result in legal action.
For copyright-related inquiries, corrections, or removal requests, please contact: info@2firsts.com.
AI-Assisted Translation and Editing Notice
Portions of this article may have been translated, edited, or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency and readability. Due to the limitations of AI-assisted translation and editing, discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies may exist when compared with the original source.
Where applicable, readers are advised to refer to the original source for the most complete and accurate information. If you identify any errors or believe that any content infringes upon your rights, please contact us at info@2firsts.com, and we will review and address the matter promptly.
