Illegal vapes opened door to black market tobacco

May 25, 2026

The massive trade in illegal cigarettes was preceded by a widespread illegal trade in vapes. Criminals importing illegal vapes saw that enforcement was weak and the profits large. The next step was obvious: flood the market with cheap smokes.

Alex Wodak was a strong advocate for vapes to be sold in at least as many outlets as tobacco, ignoring the historical lessons of unrestricted tobacco retailing. He now blames public health advocates for facilitating the flood by supporting tax increases which he concedes “helped reduce smoking rates for decades”.

In Victoria, where enforcement against illegal tobacco has been glacial, criminals have moved from selling illicit products to firebombing restaurants, bars and nightclubs. No doubt public health will be blamed for that too.

Dr Wodak is impressed that tobacco companies have been selling alternative nicotine delivery products for 12 years. But unlike many car companies, which have announced dates to end fossil-fuelled car manufacture, no tobacco company has named a date to stop making cigarettes. Like thieves justifying continued dealing in stolen goods, they argue: “If we stopped, others would just keep selling.” Yet Dr Wodak says he now “sides” with them for “getting it right”.