Despite Australia implementing some of the world's most stringent anti-vaping laws in 2024, which explicitly banned the advertising of vapes across all media, a surge of promotional content for illegal nicotine-filled products continues to flood social media platforms. Investigations have revealed a coordinated network of posts across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, actively marketing these products to Australian audiences.
These illicit promotions often boast popular vape brands, claiming swift delivery from 'local' Australian warehouses. Many direct potential buyers to engage via private messages or encrypted apps like WhatsApp, circumventing public scrutiny. Worryingly, some content appears to be AI-generated, and in certain instances, has even been boosted as paid advertising on platforms such as TikTok, indicating a sophisticated and persistent effort to reach consumers.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Australia's regulatory body enforcing these laws, has acknowledged the widespread issue, confirming awareness of thousands of such posts. Between January 2024 and June 2026, the TGA reported removing over 8,500 unlawful vape advertising posts from social media and redirecting more than 390 websites. Additionally, over 90 infringement notices have been issued, resulting in fines exceeding A$1.5 million. The TGA asserts it is taking "strong and sustained" action and collaborates with online platforms to address non-compliance.
However, public health experts, such as Professor Becky Freeman from the University of Sydney, argue that the platforms themselves bear significant responsibility. Professor Freeman notes the "blatant" nature of the illegal content and advocates for "enforcement at the platform level as well as the individual ad level." She contends that the current 'whack-a-mole' approach, which primarily targets individual ads and sellers, is insufficient. Instead, she proposes that platforms should face fines for initially allowing such content to appear, arguing they are not upholding their stated commitments.
In response to inquiries, TikTok, Instagram (Meta), and YouTube all confirmed that the identified content violated their community guidelines, which prohibit the promotion and sale of regulated substances. Each platform stated they actively work to identify and remove violating content and encourage users to report any suspicious material. They also confirmed that the specific accounts flagged in the investigation had been banned or terminated, highlighting the ongoing challenge of policing vast amounts of user-generated content.