THE NSW Government has introduced harsher penalties for illegal vape supply, with fines to soar from $1,650 to $1.54 million and prison sentences increasing from six months to seven years.
Additional offences are possession of commercial quantities of vaping products and retailer possession of vaping products.
The legislation has been introduced in the NSW Parliament as it moves to align vaping offences with Commonwealth legislation.
The intent of the offences is to target suppliers rather than individual users of vapes.
"The prevalence of illegal vaping devices in our community, and in particular among our young people, is deeply concerning," said NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park.
"We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to the stem the tide of this public health challenge," he said.
The Minister acknowledged the progress being made in terms of removing harmful devices from the streets, announcing that the government had seized over 300,000 vapes in the past year.
NSW Health supports pharmacists, prescribers and wholesalers in complying with new vape supply and sale laws through the eCigarette Compliance Program.
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