Dairy Factory Owners Warn New Vaping Legislation Could Endanger Retail Employees’ Safety

Dairy factory owners have warned lawmakers that the newly proposed vaping legislation could endanger retail employees’ safety, especially with visibility restrictions applying to stores outside of specialized vape retailers, such as dairy factories and gas stations. The legislation includes a comprehensive ban on single-use vapes, significantly increased fines for selling vaping products to minors under 18, and restrictions on the distance from early childhood education centers.

Ash Parmar, vice-chair of the Dairy and Business Owners Association, stated that these changes will make it more difficult to discover vaping products in dairy factories, potentially increasing theft. He noted that incidents of violent robberies involving knives and hammers among young people are sharply rising, and making vapes harder to access could lead to more violent incidents.

Parmar emphasized that hiding vaping products could pose greater risks to retailers. He pointed out that if vaping products are stored under the counter, retail employees may face attacks, while easier access to the products could offer relative safety. He believes the government has not learned from its approach to this issue, stressing that “vapor is more valuable than silver.”

He warned that the legislation could force thousands of dairy factories to apply for specialized vape retailer licenses, a consequence of banning the display of mint, menthol, and tobacco-flavored vaping products, which the vast majority of dairy factories oppose.

Currently, the Smoke-Free Environments and Regulated Products Amendment (No. 2) has been submitted to the Health Select Committee for review, with a report expected in March next year.