The Liberal-National Coalition’s plan to raise revenue from vape taxation will undo years of public health progress, warns the public health community.
The public health community has called on the Coalition to retract its plan, arguing it will see the legalisation of vape sales through retail outlets and dramatically increase access to vapes by young Australians.
The policy, just revealed in the Federal Coalition election costings, includes raising $3.6 billion in revenue over the next four years from vape taxation.
The proposed revenue would only be available if all of Australia’s governments dismantled the protective national regime that was legislated unanimously by federal parliament in 2024 and backed by implementation by every state and territory.
“The most disappointing aspect of such a policy proposal is that it would resume the marketing of vaping products to Australian children and young people.
“The protective regime is working. It means fewer young people are starting to vape and are avoiding nicotine addiction,” according to a release by the Public Health Association of Australia.
The proposal has no credible evidence behind it. It would fly in the face of years of research and carefully constructed policy about the best way to protect the community, especially young people, from nicotine.”
PHAA warns the plan would fuel new waves of nicotine addiction and expose millions to serious short- and long-term harms and suffering, adding more pressure on an already overstretched health system.
The Association called on the Coalition parties to apologise for the policy shift, and for presenting it so late, without transparency.
“We call on all political parties and candidates to reject any suggestion of dismantling Australia’s system for protecting young peoples’ health and wellbeing, free from nicotine addiction.”
The Australian Council on Smoking and Health (ACOSH), representing 33 major health and community organisations across Australia, also strongly opposed the introduction of an open retail model for vaping products. ACOSH called on the Coalition to immediately reconsider its position.
“The costings indicate the Coalition intends to tax vaping products to obtain income. There is never a scenario where trading kids’ health for income is acceptable”, said Laura Hunter, ACOSH CEO
“It will recklessly flood the market, fuel youth addiction, and undo years of public health progress.
“Countries like the UK and New Zealand have tried the retail model and failed spectacularly to keep vapes out of kids’ hands. Australia must learn from this and not repeat their mistake.
“Vapes do not belong in the hands of retailers who we know are selling to our kids. It normalises addiction, and is a strategy aimed only at building the next generation of nicotine customers for the tobacco industry.”
