A record fine for selling vapes might not stand for long, as harsher penalties come into force in the war on vaping and efforts to help people quit ramp up.
The recently released app Pave, from the Cancer Institute NSW, joins others like the federal government's My QuitBuddy in targeting nicotine addiction, amid attempts to stymie the illegal supply of vapes.
Since October, the products can only legally be sold through pharmacies, but they continue to be readily available from many tobacconists, convenience stores and other outlets.
NSW has toughened penalties for suppliers to bring its laws in line with commonwealth efforts to crack down on the supply of illicit vapes, while Queensland has hinted at doing the same.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said one retailer had recently been hit with "the most significant fines and charges that we have laid to date", raking up more than $300,000 in penalties.
The Lake Macquarie retailer was charged before the tougher penalties were in place and more staff were being recruited to increase inspections, he said on Tuesday.
Health officials are responsible for carrying out the work, while senior police told a recent parliamentary inquiry the force had "significantly higher priorities" than enforcing vape laws in the midst of a booming drug market.
Victoria has been dealing with a spate of arson attacks believed to be linked to disputes between organised criminals over the illicit tobacco market, bringing in new tobacco licensing laws which were mirrored in NSW.
They were the nation's last two states to implement paid licensing schemes, which are due to be operating before the end of the year.
More than 47,000 vapes were seized during 300 inspections in NSW in the last three months of 2024, Mr Park said.
The haul was a decrease on the amount seized in the final quarter of 2023, despite an increase in inspections, but more than the amount seized in the state between July and September.
Enforcement at the border has netted much more, with Australian Border Force and the Therapeutic Goods Administration seizing more than seven million vapes in 2024.
The latest seizure figures suggested there had been a disruption in market availability, but efforts to combat vaping could not solely focus on enforcement, Mr Park said.
"We've got to persuade young people to take ownership of their health, as well as clean our streets of illegal products," he said.
The Pave app is aimed at supporting young people to quit vaping by offering tips, motivation, tracking tools and distractions when cravings hit.
"While quitting can be hard, with support, taking that first step can be life changing," Cancer Institute NSW chief executive Tracey O'Brien said.
Those downloading the Pave app provide their email address, which the institute said was to allow data to be available across devices.
The app also collected age, postcode and other information which may be shared with other government agencies in a de-identified form.
