- The Crisafulli Government's strengthened nation-leading laws cracking down on illicit tobacco and vape traders have passed in Parliament.
- These new laws expand Queensland Health's powers to seize stock, shut stores, and penalise illegal traders.
- The laws also create new powers to target landlords complicit in this illegal trade and give enforcement officers the power for undercover operations.
- The Crisafulli Government is delivering a fresh start and making Queensland safer.
The Crisafulli Government is continuing its nation leading crackdown on criminal gangs and illegal vape traders to make Queensland safer, by passing the Tobacco and Other Smoking Products (Dismantling Illegal Trade) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 in Parliament overnight.
It is just another way the Crisafulli Government is restoring safety where you live and reversing Labor's decade of decline and soft-on-crime approach, which saw rogue traders - backed by organised crime - set up shop in communities right across Queensland.
Under the Crisafulli Government's strengthened nation-leading laws:
- Queensland Health can shut down illegal businesses for three months (up from three days) without having to go through lengthy court processes.
- Queensland Health can now seize all lawful smoking products found at illegal stores that are 'tainted' by being supplied or stored alongside illicit tobacco and vapes, including confectionary, food and other goods. This includes nitrous oxide bulbs and canisters, known as 'nangs'.
- Queensland Health officers can now conduct undercover operations at illicit tobacco and vape stores.
- Landlords have new powers to terminate leases when they are notified their tenant is an illegal operator.
- It is now a criminal offence for commercial landlords to knowingly permit illegal tobacco or activity, with a maximum penalty of a $166,900 fine and 12 months in jail.
Since the Election when Queenslanders voted for a fresh start, the Crisafulli Government has seized more than:
- 57 million illicit cigarettes
- 7.7 tonnes of loose tobacco
- 475,000 illicit vapes
- 405,000 nicotine pouches.
Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Tim Nicholls said the laws delivered on the Crisafulli Government's commitment to stamping out criminal trade and keeping tobacco out of children's hands.
"During Labor's decade of decline, hundreds of illegal stores opened up selling these dangerous goods to our kids and putting at risk decades of hard-won progress in tobacco control," Minister Nicholls said.
"Our new laws introduce tougher penalties, longer store closures, and powers to seize more stock than ever before.
"These laws will also empower landlords to boot out their dodgy tenants caught peddling these illegal products.
"Our hardline approach has been so successful that other states and territories are now beginning to mirror Queensland's tough enforcement approach, and we welcome this."
