More than $3 million vapes seized in statewide crackdown

More than $3 million of illegal nicotine vapes have been seized since NSW Health started a crackdown in June 2020, with retailers facing thousands of dollars worth of fines if caught selling the illegal vapes.

More than $3 million worth of illegal vapes have been seized by NSW Health since June 2020, with retailers put on notice that selling the illegal e-cigarettes will result in hefty fines and potential jail time.

Since the start of the year, NSW Health has seized more than $1 million worth of illegal e-cigarettes and liquids containing nicotine, bringing the total amount of seizures to more than $3 million.

NSW chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, said retailers were being put on notice and will face the hefty consequences of large fines and potential jail time if they are caught selling the illegal vapes.

“We are cracking down on the illegal sale of nicotine e-cigarettes and liquids and taking a zero-tolerance approach to those who sell them,” said Dr Chant.

“NSW Health regularly conducts raids on retailers across the state to protect young people from these harmful devices. You will be caught, illegal items will be seized, and you could face prosecution, resulting in being fined or even jailed.

“The harmful impacts of vaping on young people cannot be underestimated. People think they are simply flavoured water but in reality, in many cases they are ingesting poisonous chemicals that can cause life threatening injuries.”

NSW Health has seized more than $1 million of illegal nicotine vapes in 2022.

Since October 2021, products containing nicotine are only available for people over the age of 18 and require a prescription from a medical practitioner for smoking cessation purposes.

These products are only made available to purchase from an Australian pharmacy or through importation into Australia with a valid prescription.

For all other retailers in NSW, the sale of e-cigarettes or e-liquids containing nicotine is completely illegal.

NSW Health say they are committed to reducing the prevalence of e-cigarette and tobacco use and in the last two years they have invested $18.3 million towards tobacco and e-cigarette control.

In March, the NSW Government started a ‘Do you know what you’re vaping?’ informational campaign, raising awareness of the harmful chemicals found in vapes including those found in cleaning products, nail polish remover, weed killer and insecticide.

If caught selling the illegal vapes, the current maximum penalty is $1,650 per offence, six-months in prison or both, under the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act.

Retailers and individuals are hit with even stronger penalties for selling illegal nicotine vapes to minors with maximum penalties up to $11,000 for individuals for a first offence and up to $55,000 for subsequent offences.