Qld suburbs where illegal vaping operators are doing roaring trade

Southeast Queensland’s vaping black market is unlikely to be stubbed out under proposed new federal laws, according to research from one of the country’s peak retail associations. Check the map of suburbs where illegal traders are operating.

Many tobacconists operate inside convenience stores, which will still be allowed to sell tobacco but not vapes.

Southeast Queensland’s vaping black market is unlikely to be stubbed out under proposed new federal laws to crack down on rogue dealers, according to data from a peak retail association.

Research from the Australian Association of Convenience Stores members, gathered over four years, detected more than 200 illegal vaping outlets across Queensland, with the greatest concentration in three Logan suburbs.

AACS found Logan was a hotspot with Logan Central, Slacks Creek and Waterford West all home to four illegal vape stores.

There were 27 illegal outlets operating across 15 suburbs in Logan city, according to AACS research.

North of Brisbane, vapers and smokers in state Police Minister Mark Ryan’s electorate, had four illegal outlets, all in the Caboolture area.

Darling Downs had a substantial number the study found.

Toowoomba had the highest number of illegal vaping stores in one region, with five outlets, and Dalby recorded four illegal vaping stores, according to the latest AACS data.

Brisbane suburbs dominated the list with Annerley, Caboolture, and Mount Gravatt recording three outlets each.

Illegal suppliers were not confined to the southeast, with Cairns, Gympie, Rockhampton Townsville and Ayr all having more than one illegal vaping store.

Australian Association of Convenience Stores chief executive Theo Foukkare said the federal government’s plan to outlaw nicotine vaping products and stores was doomed to fail.

He said itwould only serve to allow the underground trade to flourish.

Under the regulations, announced this month, it would be illegal for retail stores to sell vapes with only pharmacies allowed to sell the products — and only to those with a prescription.

The federal crackdown also included an extra 15 per cent tobacco tax over the next three years, starting in September, jacking up the price of a pack of 25 to more than $33.

Mr Foukkare said the black market for vaping had already slashed about $300 million off his members’ turnover because customers went looking for cheaper products from illegal traders.

In Queensland, he said he expected the black market to “explode” as there were no measures in place to patrol or penalise those breaking the nicotine sales laws.

“These reported stores are only what has been reported to us and I believe there are at least double this amount of stores selling illegal tobacco and illegal vapes,” Mr Foukkare said.

“We have written to Police Minister Mark Ryan, outlining the stores that are selling illegally in his electorate of Caboolture - and they are still trading.

“The government and police have the information about where these illegal traders are operating and addresses have been reported - but they don’t do anything about it.

“It is a conundrum because it is legal to sell tobacco, a product that can be lethal, but it is illegal to sell zero-nicotine vapes, which have helped people quit tobacco.

“This legislation will affect 7000 outlets of our members, who only sell legal products such as cigarettes and tobacco, which make up about 35 per cent of their turnover.

“They will be forced to stop selling vapes, sending more of our customers to the black market, which is already illegal and has not been shut down.

“If it was that easy to stop illegal chop chop and illegal nicotine vapes being sold on the black market, then why are they still trading?”

Vaping products with nicotine are illegal in Queensland and the federal government is now planning to crackdown even further. Picture: Supplied

In March, the Queensland government introduced legislation under the Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Amendments Bill to give health officials and police officers the power to search and seize illicit tobacco and illegal vaping products.

Queensland Health referred all questions about the proposed federal legislation to the federal Minister for Health and Aged Care and did not comment on how Queensland would patrol the new laws.

A spokesman for the federal health Minister Mark Butler was unable to reveal how the measures would be enforced, but said this week’s federal Budget would include $737 million to fund the tobacco and vaping crackdown.

“The government will work with states and territories to stamp out the growing black market in illegal vaping, including to stop the import of non-prescription vapes; increase the minimum quality standards for vapes including by restricting flavours, colours, and other ingredients; require pharmaceutical-like packaging; reduce the allowed nicotine concentrations and volumes; and ban all single-use, disposable vapes,” a statement said.

“The intention is that zero-nicotine vaping products will be available from pharmacies with a prescription, if they are therapeutic vaping products to be used for smoking cessation or to treat nicotine addiction.

“They will not be available from any other retail outlet, including corner stores which will not be allowed to sell zero-nicotine vapes.

“States and territories are generally responsible for the enforcement of retail and wholesale supply laws within their jurisdictions.”