Long-awaited report into state tobacco and vaping industry finds 27 recommendations

A statewide licensing scheme, school nicotine treatment programs and the power for local councils to police smoke-free zones are among the recommendations of a long-awaited tobacco industry review.

A long-awaited report into the state’s tobacco and vaping industry has been handed down with calls to completely overhaul anti-smoking campaigns, boost financial penalties for tobacco retailers, roll out school nicotine treatment programs and introduce a statewide licensing scheme.

The inquiry into vaping and tobacco controls report was tabled on Thursday with 27 recommendations.

This includes the state setting up a retail licensing scheme where every seller will be required to hold a license and will face strict reporting rules.

More needs to be done to keep nicotine products out of schools, the report has found. Picture: iStock

The panel recommended “high” cost for a lock and also to restrict locations around schools.

Retailers should also be required to report on the sales data of brands.

Under the recommendations local councils should have limited powers to police designated smoke-free zones.

The Victorian government should also establish an independent regulatory agency within the Department of Justice and Community Safety, collaborating with Victoria Police and Commonwealth agencies to enforce compliance on nicotine products.

It called for the Commonwealth to allocate a portion of tobacco excise revenue to support state-level regulatory efforts against illicit nicotine.

Additionally, the Victorian government legislation should be amended to enhance the investigative powers of authorised officers in the new agency and to define police officers as authorised officers, enabling them to obtain search warrants and conduct enforcement activities related to nicotine products.

The report also highlighted that more needed to be done to get tobacco and vaping products out of schools.

It called for the Victorian government to roll out nicotine counselling and support programs for children in schools across the state.

It highlighted currently the prevalence of smoking in children as young as 14 was unknown and that more data was needed to inform future advertising campaigns.

The Victorian government is being urged to roll out nicotine counselling and support programs for children in schools across the state. Picture: iStock

The report also said the state needed to investigate what barriers that children currently face when seeking treatment for nicotine addiction.

Other recommendations included:

• Better e-waste disposal options for vape products

• The authority of the licensing scheme to publish tobacco store locations every six months

• Campaigns to expose the risks to the environment of cigarettes and vaping products

• Review and boost funding for current anti-smoking and vaping campaigns

• Specifically target people 18 years and under on the dangers of smoking and vaping

In March, Premier Jacinta Allan announced Victoria would adopt a licensing scheme for tobacco and vape sales to give police stronger powers to crack down on a surging black market.

She revealed government plans to introduce legislation to parliament later this year.