Queensland Launches AU$12.7 Million Crackdown; Deploying 43 Officers Against Illicit Tobacco and Vapes

Key Points:

·The Queensland government in Australia has announced a budget of AU$12.7 million (about $8.5 million) to add 43 law enforcement officers covering 11 health departments throughout the state. This will increase the government's enforcement capacity by over 25%, implementing the highest national fines and strictest inspection system. 

·The government aims to prevent tobacco and e-cigarette sales to minors, as e-cigarettes contain carcinogens and increase the risk of heart disease. 

【2Firsts News Flash】According to a report by Convenience And Impulse Retailing on June 30, under the 2024-25 state budget, the Queensland government will invest AU$12.7 million to combat illegal tobacco and e-cigarette sales and hire 43 new public health enforcement officers.

This funding is part of the Crisafulli government's total healthcare budget of 33.1 billion Australian dollars (about $22.2 billion) and is aimed at strengthening oversight of Queensland's 11 public health departments and central enforcement team.

Minister of Health and Emergency Services Tim Nicholls stated that this investment will increase enforcement capabilities by over 25%.

"This means more fines, more surprise inspections, and fewer dangerous products on the streets. We have implemented the highest fines in the country, the largest scale surprise inspections in the country, and the strictest proposed new laws in the country. The Labour Party has ignored the dangers of this illegal trade and allowed criminal gangs to set up black market shops on street corners across the state."

Matt Gardiner, CEO of the Queensland Cancer Council, stated that this initiative greatly enhances Queensland's enforcement capabilities in combating the supply of illegal tobacco and e-cigarette products.

"This investment helps protect the hard-earned progress in tobacco control over the past decades and ensures that cigarettes and e-cigarettes do not fall into the hands of our children. E-cigarettes are not a safe alternative to tobacco, as these devices contain known carcinogens and research suggests they may serve as a gateway to smoking for young people."

Sheree Hughes, CEO of the Queensland Heart Foundation, stated that smoking remains a leading cause of disease in Australia.

Smoking is a major cause of preventable diseases and deaths in Australia, including heart disease. Recent evidence suggests that vaping e-cigarettes also increases the risk of developing heart disease.

"This is why as a community we must continue to invest as much as we can in tobacco and e-cigarette control to prevent illegal products from falling into the hands of Queensland residents."