Licensing scheme launches, compelling Victorian tobacco retailers and wholesalers to obey the law

Cancer Council Victoria and Quit today welcome the Allan Government’s introduction of the Tobacco Business Licensing Scheme. This scheme compels tobacco retailers and wholesalers in Victoria to apply for a licence, declare what tobacco products they sell and where they are located. 

The scheme’s introduction brings Victoria in-line with all other Australian jurisdictions and comes after decades of advocacy by Cancer Council Victoria, Quit and other public health groups calling for the need to better control tobacco distribution and sales. 

Acting Quit Director, Sabine Ostrowski, says the roll out of the scheme, amidst a backdrop of illicit tobacco sales and challenges with enforcement, is warmly welcomed. 

“Today is an important milestone in tobacco control and the culmination of more than two decades of advocacy efforts. Tobacco licensing is going to make it harder to buy illicit tobacco, which are often sold at cheaper prices, known to undermine people’s resolve to quit and stay quit. And we know most people who smoke want to quit. Over time, it is our hope that fewer licences will be granted, making tobacco products, which kill two in of three lifetime users, less available across Victoria,” Sabine said. 

About the Victorian Tobacco Business Licensing Scheme: 

• Licences only granted to “fit and proper persons” who pass a strict test 

• Licences may be immediately suspended where illicit trade is suspected 

• Retailers or wholesalers can be refused a licence based on history and known associations, for example, criminal affiliations 

• Search powers will be strengthened to make it easier and quicker to search and seize illicit products 

• Any person found selling illicit tobacco will face individual fines of more than $355,000 or up to 15 years in jail 

• Businesses will face fines of more than $1.7 million for selling illicit tobacco 

• A new, specially trained workforce of Licence Inspectors will be deployed to enforce the scheme 

Cancer Council Victoria CEO and former Quit Director, Todd Harper AM, says the scheme is an essential component of efforts to reduce the social cost and human suffering caused by smoking. 

“Even at our historically low prevalence of just over 10% daily smoking1, tobacco-related illness kills 66 Australians every day2, tragically cutting short the lives of more than 24,000 people every year. Those who seek to sell tobacco have a responsibility to comply with the law. We are hopeful this new licensing scheme will enable effective monitoring to ensure retailers are compliant with the law prohibiting sales to children, preventing display and promotion of tobacco products and stopping the sale of illegal products. Critical to the success of this new licensing scheme will be swift and effective enforcement action,” Todd concluded.  

Cancer Council Victoria also welcomes today the full implementation of national tobacco changes which began rolling out on April 1, 2025. These important changes include 10 new graphic health warnings, individual cigarette stick warnings, 10 new health promotion inserts inside packs, a ban on menthol and other additives in cigarettes, and standardisation of pack sizes for cigarettes, roll your own tobacco and cartons of cigarettes. 

These world-leading steps help limit Big Tobacco’s ability to lure and addict new customers, and they ensure people who smoke have information readily available about supports to help them quit.