Australia’s failed policy that bans the sale of strictly regulated and made to code nicotine vapes is putting the lives of tens of thousands of Aussies at risk, following the seizure of a vape liquid laced with a deadly synthetic drug that’s 28 times stronger than the opioid fentanyl, the nation’s peak body for convenience stores has warned.
Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS) CEO, Theo Foukkare, is calling on the Federal Government to urgently regulate the vape market after New South Wales (NSW) Police charged a Sydney man with supplying vape liquid laced with a lethal synthetic opioid.
In an Australian first, police officers seized more than two kilograms of Nitazene – a dangerous substance up to 28 times stronger than fentanyl – alleged to have been supplied in vials of vape liquid.
Mr Foukkare said the incident is a direct consequence of Australia’s failed prohibitionist approach to vaping, which has driven the market almost entirely underground and out of control.
“This is exactly what happens when you make it harder to access products millions of Australians are already using,” Mr Foukkare said.
“The Government has made it virtually impossible to buy a legal vape through a legitimate retail channel – yet illicit online stores are flooding the country with zero oversight.
Australians are now inhaling God‑knows‑what, including in this case, a synthetic opioid 28 times stronger than fentanyl.
“This is beyond terrifying, especially when you look at countries where the highly addictive fentanyl and synthetic versions of it has killed countless people and torn entire communities and families apart,” he said.
Under current laws, vapes containing nicotine can only be purchased with a prescription from a pharmacist.
As a result, 99 per cent of the Australian vape market is now illicit.
These products are easily available online from unknown suppliers, bypassing any quality control, safety checks or responsible retailing measures in the same way other highly regulated, adult sales only products like alcohol and tobacco are managed in Australia.
Mr Foukkare said countries like New Zealand have proved there is a better way to protects citizens from being exposed to deadly, black market made vapes.
“New Zealand has tough regulations, strict age and nicotine limits and is sold similarly to the way alcohol is in Australia – and it’s driven down youth vaping rates, while protecting adult consumers.
It’s proof you can regulate sensibly and safely without sending the market underground,” he said.
Mr Foukkare also rejected the Federal Health Minister’s claim that the vape fight is about stopping “big tobacco.”
“The Minister likes to say he’s taking on big tobacco, but here’s the reality – big tobacco doesn’t sell vapes in Australia,” Mr Foukkare said.
“The market is dominated by thousands of unregulated operators and start‑ups.
Without proper regulation, they’ll keep selling to anyone, with anything inside,” he said.
AACS is calling for a national regulated retail model for vapes, like tobacco and alcohol, with strict age‑verification, licensing and product safety standards.
“We can’t keep pretending that prohibition is working.
It’s not.
The Coalition at the election had the right policy that would have helped to stop people from relying solely on the black market,” Mr Foukkare said.
“If we don’t regulate, it’s only a matter of time before we see more deaths from vapes laced with lethal substances and entire communities decimated by these highly addictive synthetic drugs that are being pumped into illegal vapes.”
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