In New South Wales, tobacco licensing enforcement has begun

In New South Wales, the three-month period for retailers and wholesalers to apply for a tobacco sales licence has ended.[1]. From the 1st^er By October 2025, it will be mandatory to hold and display a valid license to sell these products. Retailers who have submitted their applications before this date will be able to continue operating until the authorities' decision. The implementation of this Tobacco Licensing Scheme, decided by the Labor government of Chris Minns, aims to strengthen market control. It is accompanied by the creation of the Centre for Regulation and Enforcement (CRE) within NSW Health, responsible for ensuring compliance with the rules in coordination with other state and federal agencies.

New sanctions and legal tools

Parliament has passed the Tobacco Legislation (Closure Orders) Amendment Act 2025, which significantly increases penalties for illegal trade. Maximum fines will now be up to AU$660,000 (approximately €371,000) for an individual and up to AU$880,000 (approximately €495,000) for a business for unlicensed sales.

The law will also allow for the issuance of short-term (up to 90 days) and long-term (up to 12 months) closure orders for establishments selling illicit tobacco or illegal vaping products or selling tobacco without a license. Since 1^er As of July 2024, the sale of electronic cigarettes, which the country considers a "therapeutic" tool for smoking cessation, is already only authorized in pharmacies, where a medical prescription is required for minors or adults who want a nicotine concentration greater than or equal to 20 mg/mL.

A new offense is created for the commercial possession of illicit tobacco, punishable by a maximum fine of $1.54 million (approximately €866,000), seven years in prison, or both. The same penalty applies to the sale of these products.

Practical arrangements and public health issues

Businesses must apply for a license online through the Service NSW website. This requires, among other things, a recent criminal record check and the payment of an annual fee.

Authorities may refuse an application based on criminal record, false statements, or on the recommendation of law enforcement.

In 2023-2024, NSW Health inspectors conducted 1,750 checks, seizing 14 million cigarettes and more than 200,000 illegal vaping products, with an estimated value of $21.8 million (€12.2 million).

According to the Public Health Department, this initiative aims to better identify law-abiding stakeholders, combat illicit sales, and reduce the health impacts of tobacco and vaping. Authorities emphasize that quitting smoking remains one of the most effective ways to improve health and recommend that smokers turn to support services such as the Quitline smoking cessation hotline.

Dr. Kerry Chant, NSW Chief Medical Officer of Health, said the tobacco licensing system provides greater oversight of tobacco retailers and wholesalers to ensure they are doing the right thing and to take appropriate action if they do not: Smoking remains a leading cause of premature death. I recognize it's not easy, but I encourage all smokers to consider quitting for themselves and their loved ones. »[2].

Alongside this practical measure, other, more preventative avenues have been considered in Australia to try to reduce vaping, as it is very popular among young people and can then encourage them to try cigarettes, while the country had largely succeeded in reducing its prevalence through strong health policies. Thus, a school vaping prevention program that has already reduced teen use by 65% And an awareness campaign against vaping misinformation conducted with influencers were implemented this year.

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[1]Minister of Health, Enforcement of tobacco licensing to begin as grace period ends for retailers, NSW.gov.au, published 1 October 2025, accessed 2 October 2025

[2]Thomas Oakley-Newell, Retailers on notice as new NSW tobacco laws take effect, Convenience & Impulse Retailing, published October 2, 2025, accessed the same day

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