Govt Introduces Legislation to Curb Youth Vaping with Stricter Penalties and Vape Bans

"While vaping has helped reduce smoking rates, the increase in youth vaping is a growing concern for parents, teachers, and health professionals," said Minister Costello.

The coalition government has introduced new legislation aimed at tackling youth vaping, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Amendment Bill (No 2) focuses on preventing vaping among young people.

"While vaping has helped reduce smoking rates, the increase in youth vaping is a growing concern for parents, teachers, and health professionals," said Minister Costello.

The Bill introduces four key measures to curb youth vaping: a complete ban on disposable vapes, significant increases in fines for selling vapes to under-18s, restrictions on the visibility of vaping products outside specialist retailers, and proximity limitations on vape retailers near early childhood education centres.

"Disposable vapes are cheap and easily accessible, making them popular among young people. That's why we're banning single-use vape products outright," said Costello.

The legislation also aims to crack down on illegal vape sales by raising penalties. The maximum fine for selling vapes or other regulated products to minors will increase from $10,000 to $100,000. Infringement fines will rise to $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for businesses.

Additionally, new vape retail locations will need to be at least 100 meters away from early childhood centres, expanding on existing rules requiring retailers to be 300 meters away from marae and schools.

To ensure effective enforcement, 16 new smokefree enforcement officers will be in place by December, providing much-needed regulatory support.

“The government remains committed to the Smokefree 2025 goal and protecting young people from vaping. This Bill strikes a balance between restricting youth access to vapes while maintaining them as a smoking cessation tool for adults,” added Costello.

Public submissions will be sought during the select committee process to ensure the legislation is both practical and effective in achieving these goals. The government also plans to strengthen regulations on tobacco, vaping, and other nicotine products as part of its Smokefree action plan.