This collaborative comment piece asks: how do you unpick the roles of supply and demand in the development of illicit markets for licit products?
The importance of supply and demand in the development of illicit markets for licit products
September 2026
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"Supply and demand are key drivers of Australia’s illicit markets for licit products. Differences in their respective consumer bases should inform regulatory approaches to these markets. Promoting cessation activities, investing in public health messaging and increasing alternative nicotine supply are likely to reduce demand for illicit tobacco and nicotine."
Dr Michala Kowalski and Associate Professor Ryan Courtney from NDARC, and Dr Nicholas Taylor from the National Drug Research Institute (NDRI) at Curtin University penned a comment in Addiction about the importance of supply and demand in the development of illicit markets for licit products.
Kowalski, M., Courtney, R.J. and Taylor, N. (2026), The importance of supply and demand in the development of illicit markets for licit products. Addiction. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70583
