Australia has some of the strictest vaping regulations in the world. Since major reforms took effect in 2024, pharmacies have become the only authorised retail channel for therapeutic vaping products.

Yet Australia's latest national survey reveals a striking gap between the law and where people actually obtain their vapes.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), 93% of Australians who used e-cigarettes obtained them from sources outside pharmacies in 2025.

Only 2.5% reported obtaining vapes from physical pharmacies, while another 4.8% identified online pharmacies as their source.

For anyone following vape news in Sydney, these figures raise an important question: why are so many Australians still obtaining vaping products outside the country's regulated pharmacy system?

Here's what the latest research tells us, what remains uncertain, and what the findings mean for Sydney in 2026.

What Does Australia's Latest Vape Survey Reveal?

The figures come from the 2025 National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS), published by the AIHW in 2026.

More than 17,500 Australians aged 14 and over participated in the national survey between June and December 2025.

This is particularly significant because the survey was conducted after the Australian Government's major vaping reforms took effect in 2024.

The findings offer an important picture of consumer behaviour under the updated regulatory framework.

Where Australians Obtained Their Vapes in 2025

Source: AIHW, National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2025, Table 2.33. Percentages are rounded. The physical-pharmacy estimate has a relatively high sampling error and should be interpreted with caution.

The largest reported source was tobacconists, accounting for approximately half of respondents who identified where they obtained their vaping products.

Friends and family members were the second-largest source, followed by other shops, non-pharmacy websites and informal sellers.

Together, sources outside pharmacies accounted for approximately 93% of reported access.

It is important to understand what this number means. It does not mean that 93% of all Australians vape, nor does it specifically describe Sydney residents. It represents the reported sources of vaping products among relevant survey respondents across Australia.

The survey also records what people reported, rather than independently verifying every individual transaction or seller.

Why Are So Many Australians Obtaining Vapes Outside Pharmacies?

The AIHW figures establish where people obtained vaping products, but they do not directly establish why each person chose that source.

Nevertheless, several findings help explain why the gap between Australia's legal supply system and consumer behaviour deserves attention.

1. Consumer Behaviour Does Not Always Match the Therapeutic Model

Australia's current framework permits vaping products to be supplied for smoking cessation or the management of nicotine dependence under appropriate healthcare guidance.

However, not everyone who has used a vape originally did so for therapeutic reasons.

The same AIHW survey found that, among Australians who had ever used e-cigarettes:

• 58% reported curiosity as a reason for trying them.

• 21% identified social pressure.

• 21% reported enjoyment of vaping.

• 18% reported using them to help quit smoking.

Respondents could select multiple reasons.

These findings suggest a difference between the purposes for which Australians have used vaping products and the narrower therapeutic purposes permitted under the legal supply system.

That difference may help explain the persistence of non-pharmacy sources, although the survey does not establish a direct causal relationship.

2. Informal Supply Networks Remain Significant

Another notable finding is that 17% of respondents reported obtaining vaping products through friends or family members.

A further 8.2% identified informal sellers or dealers operating outside conventional retail locations.

These results highlight the role of personal networks and informal distribution in the Australian vaping market.

They also show why measuring access solely through licensed retail premises or pharmacy transactions would not capture the full picture of reported vaping behaviour.

3. Pharmacy Supply Involves Clinical Requirements

Obtaining therapeutic vaping products from a pharmacy is different from purchasing an ordinary retail product.

Under the national framework, participating pharmacists must assess whether a therapeutic vape is clinically appropriate. Age verification, patient counselling and other supply conditions also apply.

Pharmacies are not required to stock or supply therapeutic vapes.

These requirements are designed around healthcare and nicotine-dependence management.

The survey does not establish whether consultation requirements, product availability, previous purchasing habits or other factors caused individuals to seek non-pharmacy sources. They remain relevant questions for further research.

Vape Sydney 2026: What Are the Current Laws in NSW?

For Sydney residents, the national survey needs to be considered alongside the specific rules enforced by NSW Health.

As of October 2026, community pharmacies are the only authorised retail channel for therapeutic vaping goods in NSW.

The restrictions apply to vaping products regardless of whether they contain nicotine.

This means ordinary vape shops, tobacconists, convenience stores and other non-pharmacy retailers cannot legally sell vaping goods.

Can Adults Obtain Therapeutic Vapes Without a Prescription?

In certain circumstances, yes.

Adults aged 18 and over may be able to obtain therapeutic vaping products containing no more than 20 mg/mL of nicotine without a prescription, provided a participating pharmacist determines that supply is clinically appropriate.

A prescription is required for therapeutic vapes containing more than 20 mg/mL of nicotine. Additional restrictions apply to people under 18.

Therapeutic vaping products are also subject to strict ingredient, flavour, packaging and labelling requirements.

Importantly, the fact that survey respondents identified an "online pharmacy" as their source does not, by itself, establish that every reported supply arrangement complied with Australian laws.

Anyone seeking assistance with smoking cessation or nicotine dependence should consult a qualified pharmacist or healthcare practitioner about appropriate treatment options.

What Happens When Retailers Break NSW Vape Laws?

NSW Health has substantial powers to investigate and enforce vaping product restrictions.

Penalties for illegally supplying or possessing vaping goods can reach seven years' imprisonment, a $1.54 million fine, or both, depending on the offence and circumstances.

NSW authorities may also seize illegal vaping products and take enforcement action against businesses breaching applicable laws.

The findings from the AIHW survey provide broader context for these enforcement activities, but the survey itself does not identify specific offending retailers in Sydney.

Is Vaping Becoming Less Common in Australia?

One of the most interesting aspects of the 2025 survey is that vaping trends were not moving uniformly in one direction.

The AIHW reported that current e-cigarette use among Australians aged 14 and over declined from 7.0% in 2022–2023 to 6.0% in 2025.

However, daily vaping remained relatively stable.

Source: AIHW, NDSHS 2025.

Among current e-cigarette users, the proportion who vaped daily increased from 49% to 60%.

This creates a more complicated picture than a simple claim that vaping is either growing or disappearing.

Fewer Australians reported current vaping, but a greater share of those who continued vaping reported daily use.

The survey also found that 40% of current users reported being unable to stop or reduce their vaping, despite wanting or attempting to do so. This was up from 29% in 2022–2023.

These trends are relevant to discussions about nicotine dependence, healthcare access and the effectiveness of public health initiatives.

However, changes observed between the surveys cannot automatically be attributed to the 2024 regulatory reforms.

Australians Support Pharmacy Restrictions — But Most Users Report Other Sources

Perhaps the most revealing contrast in the AIHW findings is the difference between public attitudes and reported consumer behaviour.

In 2025, approximately 75% of Australians aged 14 and over supported restricting vape sales to pharmacies.

Support was much lower among people who currently used e-cigarettes, at approximately 22%.

Meanwhile, 93% of respondents who reported their vaping product sources obtained them outside pharmacies.

These are different survey measures with different respondent groups, so they should not be treated as directly equivalent.

Nevertheless, they reveal an important policy challenge: broad public support for restrictions does not necessarily mean that existing consumer behaviour aligns with those restrictions.

The contrast raises questions about public health communication, access to cessation support, product regulation and the continuing presence of non-pharmacy supply channels.

What Does the 93% Figure Mean for Sydney?

Sydney is Australia's largest city, with a diverse population and an extensive retail landscape. However, national survey figures cannot simply be applied to the city as though they were local statistics.

The AIHW's 93% figure is national. It does not establish that exactly 93% of Sydney vape users obtain their products outside pharmacies.

What it does establish is a significant nationwide difference between the regulated therapeutic supply framework and reported consumer access.

For people researching vape Sydney news in 2026, three issues stand out:

The legal market and reported consumer behaviour remain very different.

The pharmacy-only model has been in place since 2024, but non-pharmacy sources continued to account for the overwhelming majority of reported access in 2025.

Enforcement remains an important part of the NSW regulatory environment.

The NSW Government continues to enforce restrictions on the unlawful sale and supply of vaping products.

Public health outcomes require more than a single headline statistic.

Understanding whether restrictions influence nicotine dependence, youth vaping, smoking cessation and illicit supply requires ongoing research and careful analysis.

The latest AIHW figures provide useful evidence for those discussions, but they do not answer every policy question.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it legal to buy vapes from tobacconists in Sydney in 2026?

No. NSW law prohibits tobacconists and other non-pharmacy retailers from selling vaping goods, including nicotine-free products. Therapeutic vaping products can only be supplied through authorised pharmacy arrangements.

Can adults legally obtain vapes from pharmacies in NSW?

Eligible adults aged 18 and over may be supplied certain therapeutic vaping goods without a prescription following a pharmacist consultation, subject to clinical suitability and regulatory requirements. Other circumstances require a prescription.

Does the 93% statistic apply specifically to Sydney?

No. The figure comes from a nationwide Australian survey. It should not be represented as a Sydney-specific percentage.

Does the 93% figure prove that every reported transaction was illegal?

No. The survey identifies self-reported sources of vaping products. It is not an investigation verifying the legal circumstances of each individual transaction. However, non-pharmacy retail supply is generally prohibited under Australia's vaping regulations.

Has vaping decreased in Australia since the 2024 reforms?

The AIHW reported a decline in current vaping from 7.0% in 2022–2023 to 6.0% in 2025, while daily use remained approximately stable. The figures do not, on their own, establish how much of the change was caused by regulation.

Final Thoughts: Australia's Vape Market in 2026

The headline figure is striking: 93% of Australian e-cigarette users who reported their sources obtained vaping products outside pharmacies in 2025.

But the broader story is more important than the number alone.

Australia's vaping regulations have fundamentally changed the legal supply framework, while the latest consumer data show that obtaining products outside pharmacies remained widespread after those changes.

At the same time, overall current vaping has declined, daily use remains significant, and public support for pharmacy restrictions is relatively strong.

For Sydney readers following developments in Australia's vaping landscape, the AIHW findings offer an evidence-based starting point for understanding the challenges facing regulators, healthcare providers and consumers in 2026.

As new research and NSW regulatory updates emerge, distinguishing verified statistics from assumptions will remain essential to understanding Australia's evolving approach to vaping.

References & Sources

1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), 2026. Vaping and e-cigarette use in the NDSHS. National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2025: Tobacco, e-cigarettes and other nicotine insights. Last updated 20 August 2026.

2. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), 2026. National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2025: About. Survey methodology and participant information.

3. NSW Health, 2026. Vaping goods and other nicotine product laws. NSW retail restrictions, compliance and enforcement.

4. NSW Health. Legislative requirements for vaping products. Pharmacy supply requirements and consumer access in NSW.

5. Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Changes to the regulation of vapes. Australian Government vaping reforms and legal supply arrangements.

6. Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Vapes: Information for individuals and patients. Therapeutic vaping access, healthcare requirements and health risks.