An Australian YouTuber has declared he will move abroad after the government introduced new rules banning the import and sale of vape products.
Samuel Parsons, better known as Vape Bogan, says tough new laws mean he will have to move to the UK to save his YouTube career.
Mr Parsons makes a living reviewing vape products, which from March 1 will only be available in pharmacies to Australians with a prescription from their GP.
“It’s terrible that it has come to this, that I have to leave my mother, father and sister,” he said in a video to his 185,000 subscribers on Monday.
‘I’ve been doing this for a long time and don’t have much to fall back on.
‘So I’ve made the pretty tough decision to move to a country and go somewhere where vaping is a healthier alternative, where smokers are encouraged to access those products and don’t make it damn difficult to access those Products. ‘
Samuel Parsons, better known as Vape Bogan, says Australia’s strict new laws on vaping have forced him to move to the UK to continue his YouTube career
Mr Parsons warned Australians who vape to ‘stock up now’.
“It’s going to be very expensive to quit smoking legally here in Australia,” he said.
‘If the shops dry up later this year, they can continue for a while, but you can no longer buy anything online from abroad.
“And they won’t be able to replenish their supplies. So it will be the day of judgment.’
New legislation introduced from January 1 bans the sale of nicotine vapors in specialist retailers and convenience stores. People will need a prescription from their GP to be able to buy a vaporizer from a pharmacy.
Selling nicotine vapors has been illegal since 2021 under laws introduced by the previous Morrison government, but many retailers have continued to sell them.
Mr Parsons said that after two weeks of speaking to industry experts, he realized “there’s really not much we can do”.
“I really have no choice but to leave Australia if I want to continue doing what I love, which is creating content and helping people quit smoking,” he said.
However, in the same video, Mr Parsons claimed the new legislation would fail.
Mr Parsons (pictured) makes a living reviewing vape products, which from March 1 will only be available in prescription pharmacies in Australia
“The Australian government’s prohibition approach won’t work, the black market will absolutely sell bloody bananas, there will be all kinds of illegal sales,” he told his subscribers.
“All we can hope for is that the government needs to review what they’ve done, look at the even bigger mess they’ve created, and hopefully rethink that.
‘This is a healthier alternative, it is the best way to quit smoking. I’ll never stop telling people about it.’
Mr Parsons said that because his wife has dual British citizenship, his family could move without too much hassle, but it would still be expensive.
With a visa they will get $10,000 back, with a visa expedited fee, a health care surcharge and flights for four people expected to cost thousands of dollars.
“It’s an extremely costly exercise, so I’m asking for a little help,” he said.
Mr Parsons has asked his subscribers to donate to a GoFundMe page so he can move his family to Britain and continue making videos.
On January 1, the government banned the import and sale of single-use disposable vapes in Australia, and in March all vape products were banned
He said those who donated more than $100 would receive a video personally thanking them for their contribution.
As of Wednesday evening, the campaign has raised $4,600 of its $10,000 goal.
The YouTuber said he was excited to attend vape expos across Europe and live in a country that was “pro-vaping.”
Health Minister Mark Butler warned companies still selling illegal vapes last week that they will have to find another way to make money, but refused to explain how he was going to stop the booming illegal trade.
Daily Mail Australia proved that the trade in the now illegal vapes continues across Australia, despite the import ban on disposable vapes coming into effect.
In the Sydney suburb of Newtown, at least 20 independent and chain stores are selling illegal nicotine vapes, illegal cigarettes and other devices that can be purchased without identity checks.