Retailers and wholesalers of smoking products in Queensland must soon hold an approved licence to sell smoking products.
The new laws, which come into effect on 1 September 2024, mean that anyone selling smoking products must have a licence and display an approved copy of the licence where these products are sold.
Theo Foukkare, CEO of the Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS), said the new licensing system is now seen by many as the gold standard for other states to follow in their pursuit of tackling black-market operators.
“AACS has worked collaboratively in a joint retail working group chaired by QLD Health and QLD Police to develop this new legislation and licensing framework to tackle the illegal tobacco and vaping crisis.”
As part of the state’s new laws, employees who are under 18 cannot sell or handle smoking products as part of their job. Businesses with less than 20 employees have until 1 September 2025 to meet this requirement.
There are several different licences available, including a retail licence, which allows retailers to sell smoking products to the public from a retail outlet or online shop. A retail licence also permits the sale of smoking products from one online shop associated with the retail outlet.
A retailer can also apply for a sub-wholesaling condition on their retail licence application, which will allow the retailer to sell limited quantities of smoking products by wholesale to other licensed venues.
Retailers are encouraged to apply as soon as possible and no later than 31 May 2024. Early applications are also eligible for a discounted fee.
Businesses can visit Business Queensland to apply online for the licence. The portal provides all the information businesses will need to start the application.
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