New vape laws loom as stores prepare to close doors and staff search for new jobs

A legitimate Geelong vape store will close its doors Monday, with staff told to start searching for other employment as new bans are enforced from July 1.

Belmont Vape4Life staff Daniel Kora and Michael Andersson have been told to begin searching for a new job as vape reforms are implemented nationally on Monday. Picture: Mark Wilson.

                                             

A legitimate vape store operator in Belmont is concerned that as retailers close their doors on Monday, sales on the black market will boom.

The new law that bans the domestic manufacture, supply, commercial possession and advertisement of disposable and non-therapeutic vapes comes into effect on July 1.

Manager of Vape4Life in Belmont, Daniel Kora, said there were other solutions to vaping issues.

“Legalise it properly, have it taxed, have it run under a similar framework to current tobacco legislations so they can enforce it like that,” he said.

“The black market will explode, it already has and people will go back to chop chop (untaxed illegal tobacco) or tobacco if they can afford it.

“There’s a good portion of people swapping to vapes because tobacco is too expensive, which means they will now go to chop chop.”

Mr Kora said the days leading up to the ban caused a frenzy.

”It’s been crazy with many different people from various age groups, from 60-plus to 30-year-olds, panic buying because we’re doomed and will no longer be operating,” he said.

A Department of Health and Aged Care spokeswoman said the Commonwealth, states and territories would have strengthened powers to remove unlawful vapes from the supply chain, address unlawful advertising, and deter unlawful dealings in vapes.

“By vapes being regulated as a therapeutic good and dispensed in pharmacy, the non-pharmacy retail shop front competition often used by organised crime is removed,” she said.

“Significant penalties will apply to contravention of the laws, including the potential for jail time, and will operate as a specific and general deterrence to illicit activity.

“Enhanced border controls, banning all disposable single use vapes and ending the supply of vapes outside of pharmacy settings will make it easier to identify and disrupt the illicit supply of vapes and take effective enforcement action.”

The spokeswoman said the government would implement arrangements for businesses to legally and responsibly dispose of eligible stock.

She said the government committed $57m to the Therapeutic Goods Administration over two years to implement the reforms and enforcement activities, and $25m to the Australian Border Force for enforcement.

Mr Kora said Vape4Life employed nine people across two states.

The store does not sell nicotine vapes, which have been illegal since 2021.

“We’re out of a job … myself and my co-worker have been told to start looking for work and it’s out of our hands,” he said.

“My co-worker said this has been the best job he has ever had.”

The Department of Health and Aged Care spokeswoman said a range of support is available to help people quit smoking and vaping.

The content summaries were created with the assistance of AI technology, then edited and approved for publication by an editor.

Originally published as New vape laws loom as stores prepare to close doors and staff search for new jobs