Perth Voice Interactive

STIRLING council is the latest to flag a ban on vaping shops, but will hold off to see if federal legislation is strong enough to make an impact.

At Tuesday’s council meeting, mayor Mark Irwin proposed an investigation into whether the city’s planning laws could be amended to crack down on the sale and supply of illegal vapes and smoking-related implements.

“There is a growing concern with vape/smoking implement shops and related activity in local shopping centre by the community,” Mr Irwin said.

“Many of these are set up within close proximity to schools.”

But a staff report noted that while the City had limited powers to prevent vape shops setting up under the current rules, a new planning scheme due to come in next year might have more teeth as there were restrictions on smoking-related implements.

The report said the council could draft a local planning policy to restrict vape shops to certain areas, but it urges the council to give the Albanese government’s proposed crackdown a year to see if it would be effective.

Mr Irwin had also proposed writing to premier Roger Cook and health minister Amber-Jade Sanderson urging them to introduce stronger legislation to restrict vaping shops, but staff again gave that a little sideways push.

Instead the council voted to write to federal health and aged care Mark Butler supporting Labor’s proposed vaping reforms.

In January this year a ban was put on the importation of disposable vapes, though shops were given a grace period to sell existing stock, while non-therapeutic vapes were banned from March.

The next tranche of legislation, which has to make it through the Senate, will see the domestic manufacture, advertising, supply and commercial possession on non-therapeutic and disposable vapes outlawed.

by STEVE GRANT