The operators of a legitimate vape store fear they will lose their livelihoods when new bans come into place.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler recently announced the government would move to shut down the sale of vapes by retailers, in a bid to curb the exploding black market.
Only pharmacists will be able to sell vape products, with other retailers banned from selling any vapes even if they don’t contain nicotine.
All single-use disposable vapes will be also banned and the import of non-prescription vapes will be stopped at the border.
The ban is set to affect many local Geelong vape shops, including Vape4Life in Belmont.
The store’s manager, Daniel Kora, said the new restrictions were “uncalled for” and punished legitimate vape retailers who were only “trying to do the right thing”.
The store does not sell nicotine vapes, which are illegal but can easily be purchased illegally from some retailers.
“We’re still telling people to go get prescriptions, go access the nicotine through official channels, and we’re still getting punished for it because they can’t control the black market,” Mr Kora said.
The Department of Health and Aged Care confirmed no financial compensation would be offered to assist businesses forced to wind down due to the changes.
Mr Kora said he and other staff were fearful of losing their livelihoods.
“If the ban does come through and we end up shutting down … I’m going to be out of a job,” Mr Kora said.
The federal government has justified the move as a means to “stamp out” the distribution of illegal nicotine vapes, which has become a rapidly growing issue for young Australians.
The managers of Vape4Life in Belmont, Daniel Kora and Michael Andersson, say they will lose out from the federal government plans to restrict vape sales to pharmacies and specific stores. Picture: Mark Wilson
Western Victoria Primary Health Network clinical spokesperson Dr Anne Stephenson said vapes containing nicotine presented a particular danger for young people due to their “highly addictive” nature.
“Many people who use vapes containing nicotine find it extremely hard to quit once they are addicted,” Dr Stephenson said.
“Young people have developing brains which make it even easier to become addicted to nicotine.”
But Mr Kora defended the store and said all staff abided by tobacconist laws by not selling nicotine or offer any vaping products to those under 18.
Australian Association of Convenience Stores chief executive officer Theo Foukkare said the youth vaping crisis was not the fault of responsible retailers but online stores and “shifty shopfronts” who supplied children with “dodgy nicotine vapes”.
Mr Foukkare recommended the government instead tackle the youth vaping crisis by regulating the sale of vapes in a similar way to tobacco.
“You have to stop the illegal supply chain by legitimising the existing demand,” he said.
“Prohibition doesn’t work, regulation does.”
The implementation of the new legislation is yet to be confirmed, but both Mr Kora and Mr Foukkare predict a black market boom on its arrival.
“Prohibition like that just does not work … everyone’s going to still get stuff in, they’ll get clever about it, but it will still come through,” Mr Kora said.