Kids still sniffing out banned vapes despite new laws

The scent of sickly sweet vapes are still flooding teenagers’ bedrooms and school bathrooms, despite new laws banning their sale.

Kids are struggling to run the length of a footy field, coughing up blood and seeking help for addiction at an early age – and it’s all due to vapes, which they are still “easily” getting their hands on despite new laws tightening up the sale of the devices.

The scent of sickly sweet vapes is still flooding teen bedrooms and school bathrooms, despite new laws banning their sale.

From July 1, new federal laws regulated nicotine vapes as therapeutic goods, which could be obtained only at pharmacies with a prescription.

However, delivery services and social media pages dedicated to the sale of illegal vapes have never been busier.

Genevieve Barth and Kelsey Partridge say they are still able to get vapes from dodgy tobacconists. Picture: Justin Lloyd

“A few messages and the kids have got someone dropping off vapes out the front of the school gates,” one mum told the Telegraph.

“A quick bank transfer and they’re back puffing on them. It seems just as easy as ordering an Uber.”

Another mum, who coaches girls’ footy said you can “spot the ones who vape”, with their fitness levels well below their teammates.

“They run 400 metres and they are puffed,” she said.

“I’ve said to a few of them ‘have you been vaping’ and they eventually open up and admit it. It’s really bad.”

Eugenie Pepper, a Sydney psychotherapist who specialises in helping people quit smoking and vaping, said a third of her clients were teenagers, who told her almost half their peers vape at school.

“They wake up in the morning and vape before they even get out of bed, and it’s the last thing they do before they go to sleep,” she said.

Psychotherapist Eugenie Pepper said many of her clients were teens addicted to vaping. Photo: Tom Parrish

“It’s really terrifying because there are no barriers, they can do it anywhere, anytime.

“I am noticing that smokers take decades to feel the health effects but I have clients who are not even 16 and coughing up blood and feeling the side effects in their lungs and body.”

Ms Pepper, who has teenage children herself, said the ban had done little to stop kids getting their hands on vapes, whether through social media, their mates, or under the counter at dodgy tobacconists.

“From what I hear from my clients, it’s still easy to get them, and it hasn’t had that deterrent effect,” she said.

The Telegraph has seen multiple Facebook pages offering vape delivery across Sydney, while chats on encrypted messaging app Telegram have also been established where “dealers” boast about their vape varietals and their prices.

A social media post promoting vapes. Picture: Supplied

Vapes being sold illegally on social media. Picture: Supplied

Three vapes are selling on the “black market” for $100, while a box of 10 is $250. Illegal sellers are also selling vapes in bulk, offering 10 boxes of 10 for $1400.

Delivery fees are often free within a certain radius, or even waived if you buy in bulk.

The start of last month also brought in heavy-handed penalties for the unlawful importation, manufacture, advertising, supply and commercial possession of vapes, with a maximum penalty of seven years in jail or a $2.2m fine for an individual.

The Australian Border Force (ABF) and Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) have seized 3.5 million e-cigarettes this year, with the ABF netting 2.8m through more than 13,000 detections at the border since January 1, with 177,120 vapes seized coming into Sydney in May alone.

However, sellers on Facebook, Snapchat and Facebook have been seen to brag about their illegal stock – with one posting: “huge new shipment just landed, message for prices.”

One teen, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told the Telegraph they have “no drama at all” getting their hands on vapes since the new laws were introduced.

“It’s easy,” they said. “Heaps of kids at school just sell them, around $20 or $30 bucks.

“Or you can just message people on Snapchat or whatever and you can always get them.”

Asked how they pay for the vapes, the teen said: “cash or PayID.”

The TGA is cracking down on the illegal sale of vapes. Photo by: NCA Newswire /Gaye Gerard

The “old-school” brick and mortar store is also still an option, according to the teen, who said: “it’s harder but if you pick the right one you can still get lucky.”

Keen vapers Kelsey Patridge, 23, and Genevieve Barth, 23, said that the new restrictions haven’t had an impact on availability of vapes in their social scene.

“It’s harder to get them in the city now, but they’re still pretty available from the places where we get them,” Miss Partridge said.

Although they have both purchased vapes from stores in the weeks since restrictions were implemented, the girls mentioned that their friends haven’t had as much luck.

“Our friend group has had fake vapes sold to them recently which is scary – it’s becoming expensive and dangerous,” Ms Barth said.

Manager of the Cancer Council NSW’s Tobacco Control Unit Alecia Brooks said vapes contain chemicals that are not healthy for teens, and could cause serious harm or health issues. She was also concerned about illegal sale of the devices with unknown origins.

“They haven’t been tested for long term use, so we don’t know what can happen in future,” she said.

“But we know the short term impacts can be really serious, from addiction to nicotine toxicity which can cause seizures and breathing issues … which is particularly concerning.”

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said efforts to stop illegal vape sellers were “ramping up” with NSW Health Authorities visiting dozens of stores since July 1.

My message to those continuing to sell vapes is we are deadly serious about enforcing this ban,” he said.

“The TGA has blocked 23 websites alleged to be unlawfully advertising to Australians … and increased its monitoring for unlawful vape advertising since the ban was introduced.”