The opposition has accused the Albanese government of driving young people into the arms of organised crime after new data revealed less than one per cent of vapes are purchased legally.
Documents obtained by The Daily Telegraph revealed on Monday that one in every 1,686 vape sales occur legally through a pharmacy—about 0.06 per cent.
Organised crime syndicates have been importing vapes, of which more than 10 million are sold nationally every month on the black market.
Shadow health minister Anne Ruston told Sky News that the government’s restrictive model of only allowing vape sales in pharmacies created the booming black market.
“We told the government when they put this policy forward that it wasn’t going to work,” Ms Ruston said on Monday.
“The government knew right from the get-go that the prescription-only model wasn’t working.
“The real tragedy of all this is the fact that young Australians particularly (are being) forced into the hands of organised crime to access vapes.
“Organised crime is benefiting from the failure of this government’s policy.”
Figures obtained via Freedom of Information showed an average of 5,932 vapes were sold legally, compared to more than 10 million sold illegally every month.
Asked what the opposition’s approach to vape regulation would be, Ms Ruston admitted it did not yet have one.
“We’ve made it very clear that all policies that we took to the election that we are intending to look at and make sure that they are fit for purpose,” she said.
Nationals leader David Littleproud, who conceded that he had previously supported a prescription-only model, called for a “regulated” model of vape sales.
“I admit that I got it wrong … on a prohibition model around prescriptions for vaping,” Mr Littleproud told Sky News on Monday.
“We’ve got to get to a regulated model. Look what’s worked—what worked with tobacco back in the 90s was a regulated model.”
Mr Littleproud said by regulating and taxing vape products, the government could reinvest some of that money into treating health issues caused by smoking.
The government’s vaping reforms—championed by Health Minister Mark Butler—were intended to reduce youth uptake and ensure access for adults trying to quit smoking.
