A study led by the University of Notre Dame Australia shows that all 117 dedicated vape retailers in Western Australia have closed since the implementation of the 2024 vape regulations, and another 76 businesses that previously sold vapes have also ceased selling the products. However, researchers found that some convenience stores in Perth’s city center are still secretly selling vapes. Experts warn that these illegal sales undermine the effectiveness of the regulations and call for continued monitoring, stricter enforcement, and higher penalties.
Key Points:
- Vape Store Closures: By September 2024, 117 vape stores in Western Australia had closed.
- Convenience Store Violations: Despite the implementation of the regulations, many convenience stores continue to sell vapes illegally, requiring stricter regulation.
- Regulatory Impact: National regulations restrict vape sales to pharmacies to protect the health of young people.
- Expert Call: Experts recommend continued monitoring and stricter enforcement to curb youth vape use.
Australian study: All Vape shops in Western Australia have closed
September 3, 2025 – According to Mirage News, new research shows that specialized vape retail stores in Western Australia have closed down after the new Australian national federal vape regulations were implemented in 2024. However, researchers found that many convenience stores are still violating the rules, and experts say continued monitoring and stricter enforcement are needed.
The study, led by the University of Notre Dame Australia and published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, follows the implementation of the national vape regulations in 2024, which restrict vape sales to pharmacies and make it illegal to sell or advertise vapes in other retail outlets.
Illegal sales in convenience stores pose a new regulatory challenge
The researchers found that 194 brick-and-mortar stores in Western Australia sold vape products as a primary product category before the government’s action in January 2023. By September 2024, three months after the federal vape regulations came into effect:
- All dedicated vape shops and in-store vape counters had closed (117 locations).
- 76 stores that previously sold vapes and other products had no evidence of vape sales.
- Only one vape shop was observed openly selling vapes on the day of the field audit.
Co-author Professor Lisa Wood of the University of Notre Dame Australia said these findings are positive signs that the federal government’s national vape reforms are helping to protect the health of young people. The study quantified the rise and fall of vape shops in Western Australia. Previously, these shops were common in our communities. They were often located near schools, openly advertising vape products to passersby, and their attractive window displays and appealing flavors contributed to the normalization of vaping among young people. ”
Convenience Store Violations
Lisa Wood said it was encouraging that all 117 specialist vape shops we monitored in Western Australia have closed since the national regulations came into effect, and specialist vape retailers no longer operate on our streets. A further 76 shops that previously sold vapes have also ceased selling them.
However, worryingly, researchers found that three months after the new regulations came into effect, many convenience stores in central Perth were still illegally selling vaping products under the counter.
Regulatory Impact
Co-author Angela Gazey of the University of Notre Dame Australia said: “In June 2024, almost half of the 32 convenience stores we visited in the Perth city centre were selling vapes. Three months later, after the new national regulations came into effect, 11 of them were still selling vapes.
We know that convenience stores elsewhere in Australia are also selling vapes – it is distressing to associate ‘convenience’ with products that are sold illegally and are harmful to health.” Professor Terry Slevin, CEO of the Public Health Association of Australia, said the study demonstrates the real impact of Australia’s vape regulations. “The Australian government took a stance against vapes and introduced regulations in 2024. Australia’s approach is evidence-based but unique. This study shows an early result: vape shops are closing down and no longer able to openly sell products on the street. This is a positive development and consistent with other studies showing a decline in youth vape use in Australia. The finding that convenience stores are still illegally selling vapes is not surprising.”
Terry Slevin said this sector has long undermined community health efforts and prioritized profit. Illegal convenience store vape sales occur across the country. This is why public health experts continue to welcome retail surveillance, strict enforcement, border checks, and tough penalties for those who break the rules. Let’s be clear: vapes are dangerous. Their ingredients should not be inhaled into the lungs of young people. They should not be used to get kids addicted to nicotine or tobacco. The time for action is now. Action and penalties should be targeted at those who profit from them.
