Smoking in Australia
In Australia, smoking is legal and tobacco products are subject to regulations. Cigarettes are allowed for sale and use and can be legally purchased in stores, online, and through vending machines. The importation of cigarettes for trade is also allowed with a license. Furthermore, health warnings on cigarette packaging are required, the minimum legal age for their purchase is 18 years, and there are legal restrictions on smoking in public places. Cigarettes are subject to an excise tax value of 67.88% and a total taxation rate of 76.98%. Despite these measures, smoking still poses a significant public health concern in Australia. As of 2024, the country had approximately 2.4 million current smokers, representing a current smoking prevalence of 11% among adults aged 15 years and older. The prevalence was recorded to be 12.5% in 2022. The current prevalence was higher among males (12.9%) than among females (9.3%) in 2024. In 2021, smoking led to an estimated 12,838 deaths, including 7,833 deaths among males and 5,005 among females. Overall, smoking was attributable to 7.33% of all deaths in the country, including 8.44% of male deaths and 6.07% of female deaths.
Read articles from Australia
June 26, 2026 by healthcoalition.org.nz
Cutting excise tax is not going to solve illicit tobacco: here’s why
Cutting tobacco excise alone will not fix illicit trade if the wider policy environment still drives consumers towards unregulated markets. Illegal tobacco is shaped by organised supply chains, enforcement gaps, high demand and the lack of realistic alternatives for smokers. A stronger response should combine targeted enforcement with harm reduction, accurate risk communication and legal access to lower-risk nicotine products. The goal should be reducing smoking-related harm, not relying on tax policy alone.
June 26, 2026 by healthcoalition.org.nz
Cutting excise tax is not going to solve illicit tobacco: here’s why
Cutting tobacco excise alone will not fix illicit trade if the wider policy environment still drives consumers towards unregulated markets. Illegal tobacco is shaped by organised supply chains, enforcement gaps, high demand and the lack of realistic alternatives for smokers. A stronger response should combine targeted enforcement with harm reduction, accurate risk communication and legal access to lower-risk nicotine products. The goal should be reducing smoking-related harm, not relying on tax policy alone.
June 25, 2026 by substack.com
The Test Has Been Run. It’s Time to Mark the Results.
The evidence from real-world nicotine policy is already in: prohibition and excessive restriction do not eliminate demand, they change where demand goes. Countries that preserve access to safer alternatives see more realistic routes away from smoking, while those that ban or overtax them often strengthen illicit markets. The lesson is clear — regulation should be measured by outcomes, not intentions. It is time for nicotine policy to follow the evidence.
June 22, 2026 by wrdnews.org
Harm Reduction Policy Built Australia's Tobacco Black Market
Australia’s tobacco black market shows what happens when policy abandons harm reduction. High cigarette taxes, strict vaping rules and limited legal access to safer nicotine products have helped create space for illicit trade to grow. When smokers are priced out or blocked from lower-risk alternatives, demand does not disappear — it moves into unregulated markets. Better policy should reduce smoking-related harm without handing supply to criminals.
June 22, 2026 by wrdnews.org
Harm Reduction Policy Built Australia's Tobacco Black Market
Australia’s tobacco black market shows what happens when policy abandons harm reduction. High cigarette taxes, strict vaping rules and limited legal access to safer nicotine products have helped create space for illicit trade to grow. When smokers are priced out or blocked from lower-risk alternatives, demand does not disappear — it moves into unregulated markets. Better policy should reduce smoking-related harm without handing supply to criminals.
June 22, 2026 by wrdnews.org
Harm Reduction Policy Built Australia's Tobacco Black Market
Australia’s tobacco black market shows what happens when policy abandons harm reduction. High cigarette taxes, strict vaping rules and limited legal access to safer nicotine products have helped create space for illicit trade to grow. When smokers are priced out or blocked from lower-risk alternatives, demand does not disappear — it moves into unregulated markets. Better policy should reduce smoking-related harm without handing supply to criminals.
June 09, 2026 by abc.net.au
SA government says illicit tobacco prices increasing in response to store crackdown
South Australia’s crackdown on illicit tobacco is highlighting the scale and resilience of the illegal cigarette market. Reports of rising black-market prices suggest enforcement may be disrupting supply, but also show how strong consumer demand continues to sustain organised illegal trade. The situation raises wider questions about whether high tobacco taxes, restrictive nicotine policy and limited access to lower-risk alternatives are creating conditions in which illicit markets can thrive. Effective public health policy must reduce smoking-related harm while avoiding approaches that push consumers further into unregulated supply chains.
June 08, 2026 by substack.com
When Reality Becomes Inconvenient: Croakey's Refusal to Learn from Australia's Tobacco Disaster
Evidence on smoking, vaping and nicotine use does not always fit neatly into dominant public health narratives. When data challenge assumptions, the response should be careful analysis rather than selective interpretation. In tobacco policy, inconvenient evidence is too often dismissed when it supports harm reduction. Better regulation depends on confronting real-world outcomes, not only reinforcing established positions.
June 05, 2026 by skynews.com.au
Australia's tobacco black market branded ‘global laughing stock’ as illegal rates trump dozens of countries
Australia's severe tobacco black market problem is termed a "total failure of policy" after Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed a 40% increase in national nicotine consumption from 2017 to 2025, with illicit products making up 80% of tobacco use. This far surpasses similar data from European nations, Canada, and New Zealand. Former police detective Rohan Pike criticized public health advocates, stating that Australia's anti-tobacco policies are flawed and ineffective, and suggested a fresh approach. KPMG reports show varying rates of illegal tobacco consumption in European markets, Canada, and Latin America, emphasizing the prevalence of contraband products globally. FTI Consulting noted a significant 27.2% of illicit tobacco consumption in New Zealand in 2024.
June 04, 2026 by straitstimes.com
Australian state cracks down on illegal tobacco shops as nicotine use surges
Victoria, Australia, is increasing efforts to combat illegal tobacco sales due to a surge in nicotine use. A$1.50 federal tax per cigarette aims to deter smoking, resulting in high prices spurring illegal tobacco sales. Proposed laws would empower authorities to close down offending businesses, with penalties of up to A$2.4 million and 20 years of jail. The rise in nicotine consumption, up by 40% from 2017 to 2025, is linked to illegal products and e-cigarettes. Approximately 80% of nicotine products consumed in 2025 were from the black market. Prices of legal tobacco have tripled due to yearly excise hikes, while illegal tobacco prices remain stable per ABS data.