Thousands of vapes sold in social media groups across Adelaide amid government crackdowns

Illegal nicotine vapes are being sold by the thousands in social media groups accessible to children at the click of a button.

Illegal nicotine vapes are being sold by the thousands in private social media groups accessible by children as an underground market for the addictive products continues to grow.

Several Facebook groups are operating as digital shopfronts for vapers across Adelaide, offering discount prices and free delivery in the wake of further government crackdowns on the illegal products, which were outlawed in Australia without a prescription in October 2021.

Some dealers are offering as many as 10,000 vapes for sale in one transaction worth $11,000 while others advertise the “lowest” prices to undercut competitors.

Others post in the groups ask whether prospective buyers want “drops” of vapes delivered to them.

Most pages stipulate members will be removed from the group if they are found to be selling to children, however, entry to the groups is permitted by declaring you are 18 or older.

The groups are largely dedicated to selling IGET brand vapes, which are the most popular on the market.

Illegal nicotine vapes are being sold by the thousands in social media groups accessible by children. Picture: Supplied

One page is dedicated solely to identifying businesses where the illegal products are sold, with one updating locations after three members confirm a certain business sells vapes.

New, bigger vapes are also being sold in the groups, with products containing 5500 “puffs” being advertised for as little as $25.

In one page, a dealer is offering more than 100 boxes of IGET Legend vapes, totalling 10,000, containing 4000 puffs each.

Several social media groups are being used as an underground market for illegal nicotine vapes amid government crackdowns. Picture: Supplied

At $110 per box, the transaction would be worth $10,000.

According to the Tobacco and E-cigarette Products Act 1997, a person “must not sell an e-cigarette product if the order for the e-cigarette product has been placed by mail, telephone, fax, email, internet or other electronic means”.

Last month, The Advertiser revealed proposed new laws would ban vaping or smoking in more public areas, including at, or near, schools, shopping centres, buildings, hospitals, nursing homes, swimming pools, beaches, jetties, major sports events and children’s sporting grounds.

New, bigger vapes containing 5500 “puffs” are being sold in private social media groups. Picture: Supplied

It was also revealed the penalties for the sale or supply of tobacco products to children aged 17 or younger could be doubled.

The change would see fines jump from $1200 to $2400 and the maximum prosecution penalty for a first offence to increase from $20,000 to $40,000 for businesses and from $5000 to $10,000 for individuals.

Health Minister Chris Picton said it was “shocking” that vapes were “so easily available to buy online”.

“It’s clear more needs to be done to stop this,” Mr Picton said.

“I am extremely concerned about the prevalence of vaping especially among young people and I am worried that our kids are getting access to these illegal vapes online.

“Research has unveiled a cocktail of chemicals which raise serious concerns about the safety of these products and their risks to the respiratory health of young people.”

A SA Police spokeswoman said SA Health regulated the act under which vapes were sold.

“Whilst SAPOL are authorised under the act, SA Health are the responsible body for providing any information relating to offending relating to this act,” she said..