Oz Proves Ban Is Working
The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration is proving that the country’s approach to vaping is working - or, to be more accurate, it’s working very badly
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by Dave Cross
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The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration is proving that the country’s approach to vaping is working as it announces seizures of alleged illicit vaping goods and nicotine pouches in a joint enforcement operation. Well, to be more accurate, it is proving that the prohibition is going very badly as it has boosted the black market and criminal violence.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration announced: “A two-day joint enforcement operation between the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and Queensland Health has led to the seizure of more than 10,000 nicotine pouches and hundreds of illicit vaping goods.
“As part of that operation, the TGA executed warrants, with the support of Queensland Health and the Queensland Police Services (QPS), on three retail tobacconists suspected of unlawfully possessing vapes in Bundaberg. TGA and Queensland Health Offices also inspected six retailers in the Wide Bay region.”
The Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Mark Butler MP, commented: “These joint enforcement activities between the TGA and Queensland Health demonstrate the strong approach being taken to enforce the new vaping laws. This is a positive example of the joint commitment that the Commonwealth and states and territories have made to detect and disrupt the illegal supply of vapes.”
The Therapeutic Goods Administration continued: “These most recently seized vapes are alleged to contravene the new commercial possession laws that commenced from 1 July 2024, under the Therapeutic Goods and Other Legislation Amendment (Vaping Reforms) Act 2024.”
It is now illegal for Australian retailers such as tobacconists, vape shops and convenience stores to supply any vapes, even with a prescription. Any possession of vapes in retail premises is generally also illegal. In addition to seizure and loss of product, significant penalties can apply to the unlawful importation, manufacture, supply, commercial possession and advertising of vaping goods.
These seizures add to the large number of seizures already undertaken by the Australian Border Force and TGA, of over 3.5 million vaping goods, estimated to be worth nearly $107 million, since 1 January 2024 – absolute proof of the complete failure of the current Australian approach to tobacco harm reduction. This is clear evidence that the Australian border is as porous as a colander and is causing crime gang violence due to the vast sums at play – not even the threat of seven years in jail is stopping it.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has implemented a surrender scheme that allows businesses to surrender vaping goods, over a specified quantity, that can no longer be supplied in Australia, for a limited period.
Meanwhile, the reason the ban is present, teens continue to vape and parents are claiming to be frantic to find a solution to stop them – as if this is the biggest health risk posed to their children.
Dave Cross
Journalist at POTVDave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous start-ups to develop content for their websites.
