Parliament passes anti-vape law: Users can be fined up to $10k from May 1
In a move to clamp down on vaping and etomidate abuse, a new law was passed in Parliament on Friday (March 6) which will see users, sellers and smugglers face stiffer fines.Under amendments to the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sales) Act, vape users can be fined up to $10,000 from May 1, five times the current amount.Fines for sellers have been raised by 20 times of up to $200,000, while smugglers can be slapped with fines of up to $300,000, 30 times the current amount.They can also be jailed up to six years and nine years respectively.The Bill, which includes a name change to the Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act (TVCA), will also target adults who recklessly leave etomidate-laced vapes, or K-pods, where children can access them.Adults who do not take «reasonable steps» to prevent children from using K-pods can be jailed for up to 10 years for the first offence.Onus will be on owners of entertainment venues such as bars and nightclubs to exercise due care to prevent the use and storage of vapes in their premises.