On November 19, the New South Wales (NSW) Government announced plans to raise the maximum fine for illegal vape supply from A$1,650 to approximately A$1.54 million, with prison sentences increasing from six months to seven years.
The NSW Government has introduced the legislation in Parliament, aiming to align state enforcement powers with those of federal agencies. Possession of a commercial quantity of vaping products or retailer possession of vapes will also be classified as illegal.
Similar to the Commonwealth vaping reforms, these measures target suppliers of vape products rather than individual users. Over the past year, more than 300,000 vape products have been seized by the government.
Between July 1 and September 30, 2024, a total of 362 inspections were conducted, resulting in the seizure of 42,000 products. In comparison, 153,000 products were confiscated from 290 inspections last year. The recent decrease in seizures during the last quarter may reflect market supply disruptions following the implementation of new Commonwealth vaping laws.
In October, the NSW Government announced plans to recruit 14 additional enforcement officers to enhance compliance efforts for vaping and tobacco products statewide.
Additionally, they also launched the eCigarette Compliance Program, initially aimed at supporting pharmacists. A dedicated team of compliance officers will visit pharmacies across the state to provide on-site education and guidance.
"The prevalence of illegal vaping devices in our community, and in particular among our young people, is deeply concerning. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to the stem the tide of this public health challenge," said Ryan Park, the state Minister for Health,
"I am very encouraged by the progress we are making in terms of removing these harmful devices from our streets. And I am pleased to announce that we are augmenting our efforts by introducing harsher penalties to target suppliers."
