Health Minister Mark Butler believes a more assertive” approach is needed to crack down on stores illegally selling vapes, with many outlets still breaking the law.
The Australian Associated Press reports laws that kicked in from July saw vapes only allowed to be sold in pharmacies, with bans also applying to the product being imported into Australia but Mr Butler says some stores were continuing to sell the product.
Penalties of up to seven years in prison and fines of $2 million apply for those illegally supplying or manufacturing vapes.
Mr Butler says it’s quite clear that some convenience and tobacconist stores are breaking the law adding while the laws had been working for reducing access to vapes, there was still a long way to go.
The Minister says vapes were presented as a therapeutic good to help hardened smokers kicked the habit, but we learned very quickly that that was not what it was about. It was actually about recruiting a new generation to nicotine addiction
Speaking on the ABC Insiders program, Mr Butler says the crackdown was critical for the protection of young people adding he want to see prosecution starting to be prepared by authorities, because this is too important to the health of our young people.
