Vape shops vanishing but illegal sales persist

A WA crackdown has seen vape shops vanish but the devices are still accessible through other means. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

Vape shops have all but disappeared in one state, but that doesn't mean people are not buying them elsewhere, warns a public health expert says.

Dedicated vape stores have vanished in Western Australia after tough laws restricting sales to pharmacies came into effect last year, a University of Notre Dame Australia study has found.