Vapes
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Queensland Well being and police have seized greater than 800 vapes and 30 kilograms of tobacco throughout southern Queensland, following tip-offs from the general public.
Gold Coast authorities confiscated 805 vape gadgets, which had been later discovered to comprise nicotine, from a retailer in Burleigh Heads.
Nicotine vapes are unlawful, and can solely be bought at pharmacies to folks with a prescription.
The sale of vapes with out nicotine is restricted underneath the Tobacco and Different Smoking Merchandise Act 1998, which excludes the sale of merchandise to folks aged underneath 18.
Police additionally raided three shops in Dalby, west of Brisbane, the place they seized 30kg of unlawful free tobacco and a big amount of imported cigarettes.
It’s unclear whether or not the incidents are linked.
The raid adopted an intensive investigation and several other reviews from members of the general public in regards to the sale of illicit tobacco merchandise on the Dalby shops.
A 28-year-old man and a 36-year-old man, each from Toowoomba, had been charged with the business sale of excisable items.
They are going to face the Dalby Magistrates Courtroom subsequent month.
Greater than 5,700 vapes have been confiscated across the Gold Coast this 12 months.
Gold Coast Public Well being Unit Director Sharon Jurd stated she was extraordinarily involved about e-cigarette use in younger folks, particularly in faculties.
“Flavours — comparable to watermelon, grape, bubble-gum, and mint — together with brilliant packaging makes vapes interesting to younger folks,” she stated.
“The tobacco and vaping trade are concentrating on nicotine e-cigarettes at younger folks regardless of realizing they’re dangerous, and most are addictive.”
New analysis has discovered younger folks suppose vaping is cool and have a tendency to take up the development as a result of they see older kids doing it.
An investigation by 4 Corners discovered a thriving black marketplace for the merchandise, fuelled by rising demand and a failure to police the foundations.
Mr Jurd labelled vapes and e-cigarettes “misleading” and stated many labelled “nicotine-free” truly contained nicotine.
She stated the unit’s environmental well being officers would proceed to observe their distribution and implement public well being laws throughout the Gold Coast.
Queensland Well being is urging anybody who notices a possible breach to report it to their native Public Well being Unit.
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