Retail leaders from the Master Grocers Association and the Australian Lotteries and Newsagents Association, united by the Australian Association of Convenience Stores, call on the Albanese government to convene a national policy summit to identify urgent actions to quash black market sales of e-cigarettes.
“The ABC’s 4 Corners has exposed the chasm in leadership that has supported the rising black market vaping trade which targets and exploits young Australians,” says the three groups.
“This current regulatory approach is effectively prohibitionist and is directly contributing to the chaos in the market and enabling illegitimate retailers to sell unregulated products to anyone, including children.
“The system is failing Australian parents, schools, children, healthcare providers and consumers.”
A national policy summit on vaping, according to the groups, is needed to:
- Design cost-effective enforcement measures
- Abolish the prescription scheme which is not being accessed by consumers
- Identify ways to disrupt the unruly syndicates that are driving black market trade
- Support immediate age limits on sales and marketing restrictions
- Implement a national licencing scheme for all retailer sellers of vaping products, underpinned by a national product accountability tracking scheme
- Limit sales of nicotine vaping products to licensed, responsible retailers
“The system is failing. How it is addressed in the interests of adult consumers, in preventing youth access and the wider legitimate retail industry will be a critical test of Prime Minister Albanese’s government.”