The Queensland Government has announced it will spend $12.7 million to boost the ranks of the State’s public health officers as part of a major enforcement boost in the battle against the illegal tobacco and vape trade.
The funding will see the appointment and training of 43 new public health personnel.
The new recruits will be spread across Queensland’s 11 public health units and central compliance team, to increase the speed and impact of action against illegal operators, said Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, Tim Nicholls.
Mr Nicholls said the additional frontline officers were part of the Government’s zero-tolerance approach toward the tobacco and vape black market.
“Labor ignored the scourge of this illegal trade and allowed criminal gangs to set up chop shops on street corners across the State,” Minister Nicholls said.
“This investment is the latest escalation in the Crisafulli Government’s war against illicit tobacco and vape traders, who are peddling dangerous and addictive products to Queenslanders, including kids and teenagers.
“With more than 40 new officers across Queensland, enforcement capacity will see a boost of more than 25 per cent. This means more fines, more raids and fewer dangerous goods on the street.
“These extra boots on the ground are in addition to our fines that are the highest in the nation, our raids that have been the largest in the nation; and our proposed new laws that will be the toughest in the nation.”
Cancer Council Queensland CEO, Matt Gardiner welcomed the Budget investment, saying it significantly strengthened Queensland’s capacity to enforce laws against the supply of illicit tobacco and vaping products.
“Tobacco is the number one cause of cancer in Queensland that has been proven to cause at least 16 different types of cancer,” Mr Gardiner said.
“This investment helps protect decades of hard-won progress in tobacco control and helps ensure cigarettes and vapes are kept out of the hands of our kids.
“Vaping is not a safe alternative to tobacco and these devices contain known cancer-causing chemicals and research shows they can be a gateway to cigarette smoking in young people.”
Heart Foundation General Manager Queensland, Sheree Hughes said tobacco smoking remained a major contributor to disease in Australia.
“We welcome this commitment because tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Australia, including heart disease. Recent evidence shows that vaping now also increases your risk of heart disease,” she said.
“That’s why it’s crucial that we keep doing what we can as a community to invest in tobacco and vape control to prevent illegal products from falling into the hands of Queenslanders. Nicotine is so addictive that we can’t afford for future generations to become dependent on these products.”
Lung Foundation of Australia CEO, Mark Brooke expressed concern about the large and avoidable burden of disease that results from tobacco products and vapes.
“Getting more illicit tobacco, vapes and other smoking products off the streets will help achieve better outcomes for lung health,” Mr Brooke said.
“We know there is a lot that can be done to prevent lung disease, and this boost in funding for enforcement of the state’s tobacco and vaping laws is a positive step forward to protect the lung health of all Queenslanders, especially children.”
