Ross Cadell (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In just under six weeks the legislation that we passed in here that will mean vapes will be sold by pharmacies and pharmacies alone comes into effect. Before we get to that six weeks, there will be 100 fire bombings of tobacconists or vape stores reached, as organised crime fills the gap in the market.

When I spoke on the bill, as a nonsmoker or vaper, I was able to go to a place in Canberra and buy a vape for $25 across the counter, even when they were illegal. The legislation we've got has changed, and, if props were allowed, I would reach through this green box on my desk and I would pick up a single-use HQD vape that I was able to purchase in Canberra. We haven't stopped it; we've raised the price. It is now $60. Others in this chamber have told me you can buy them for $50 in Sydney or two for $90. All this legislation has done is increase the profit margin of organised crime. It has driven people who are trying to get off smoking and take up vaping to become criminals, to drive their money to criminals, and that is not what we should be doing.

They are getting around the single-use ban. This box that I won't put up in front of me because it would be a prop contains a HQD spicy mint vape. They get around the single-use ban by putting a battery charger on it. You can't refill it; you can't use it again, but, because it's got a battery charger, it's no longer single use. The crime and the violence and the profits in serious organised crime—we heard the evidence. This is driving money to criminals and driving people who want to get off smoking, people who want to harm minimise, to put their money in the hands of criminals. It is poor legislation. It is clearly not working, not when I can buy it. If you want to stop vapes getting into the hands of kids—it's right there. I bought it. It's illegal. It's wrong. Stop celebrating this failure.