Reducing Vape Shops
On 1 July 2024, new legislation came into effect prohibiting the domestic manufacture, commercial possession, and sale of non-therapeutic vapes, including a ban on all disposable vapes.
Now the only legal way to acquire a vape is for smoking cessation, or the management of nicotine dependence and these can only be purchased from a pharmacy. Flavours are also restricted to mint, menthol, or tobacco only.
If you suspect someone is selling illegal e-cigarettes or vapes in WA, you can report it to WA Department of Health. This can be done anonymously.
Email [email protected]
ACOSH supports the federal government’s strong stance and encourages the state governments to come down hard on retailers who deliberately flout the rules.
Reducing Tobacco Licenses
Did you know in Western Australia there are nearly 6 times more tobacco retailers than pharmacies in Western Australia?
WA has 633 pharmacies. By comparison we have 3,400 tobacco sales outlets for our population of 2.6 million.
More outlets equal easier access which is only making the problem worse.
ACOSH supports increasing the cost of a retail tobacco license each year by at least $200 (currently $286 in WA). We believe that this would result in a reduction of outlets in WA and increased resources for monitoring and enforcement. By comparison, a tobacco license in Tasmania costs around $1,200 each year.
Reforms like these were proposed in the consultation report summarising submissions to the Review of the Tobacco Control Products Act 2006. While it was tabled in Parliament by the Minister for Health on 24 June 2021 the draft bill has not been introduced.
Join ACOSH in urging the government to pass the new Tobacco Control Products Act 2006 with the WA Minister for Health. Contact [email protected]