Following reports suggesting that 75% of electronic cigarettes are purchased through illegal channels, the government of the state of Victoria is facing calls to revise its e-cigarette laws.
In February of this year, the Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS) suggested that the Victorian government introduce a retail licensing scheme to strengthen investigation and enforcement powers, increase penalties, and crack down on illegal tobacco and electronic cigarette products.
A survey on smoking and health in Victoria released this week reveals that the state has 300,000 electronic cigarette users, three-quarters of whom purchase their e-cigarettes through illegal channels.
Theo Foukkare, CEO of AACS, has claimed that the failure of the Victorian government to act on suggestions provided by AACS to improve regulation has led to a rapid increase in the thriving black market. Foukkare stated that members of their organization, many of which are small family-owned businesses, as well as other legitimate retailers, are experiencing significant decreases in customer traffic and losses in casual purchases as adult e-cigarette users are driven to purchase illegal products from underground suppliers.
A research commissioned by AACS reveals that over 1.1 million Australian adults use e-cigarettes, of which 88% purchase nicotine illegally through the black market without a prescription.
Lack of retail licenses and enforcement, combined with the previous federal government's prescription model for nicotine e-cigarettes, has led to one million adult consumers illegally purchasing these products.
No one knows what they are actually buying. Illegal suppliers are selling to anyone, bypassing consumption taxes, electrical equipment, and ingredient standards, and making it readily available to young people without any mandatory age identification.
Foukkare proposed that we need to immediately shift towards a strictly regulated retail market, which includes standards for products and packaging, permits for retailers, and penalties for sales to individuals under the age of 18.
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