CAPHRA Warns Australian Senate: Prohibition Has Failed, Regulation Is The Only Way Forward
January 19, 2026 by scoop.co.nz
CAPHRA Warns Australian Senate: Prohibition Has Failed, Regulation Is The Only Way Forward
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) delivered a clear message to the Australian Senate: Australia’s illegal tobacco crisis is the result of failed policy, not weak enforcement, and no amount of additional resources will fix a problem created by prohibition. In its submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee’s inquiry into the illegal tobacco market, CAPHRA warned that organised crime has taken control of a black market worth around A$4 billion. This market has been driven by policies that removed legal access to safer nicotine products while consumer demand remained unchanged.
8.60% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 364,000 current smokers in New Zealand.
SOURCE: GSTHR
