Australia’s smoking rates fell for decades. But that’s changed – and here’s why
Source: theage.com.au
- Smoking rates are rising for the first time in decades as cheap illegal cigarettes flood the market, undoing years of public health progress.
- High tobacco taxes meant to discourage smoking have instead created a $10 billion criminal enterprise, with illegal cigarettes now making up roughly 50% of all cigarette sales.
- The booming black market is fueling organised crime violence, including firebombings and murders, while pushing former quitters and young people back to smoking.
After falling consistently for 30 years, Australia's smoking rates are now climbing again - a shocking reversal driven by a massive black market in illegal cigarettes. Cheap illicit smokes are undercutting legal prices and luring people back to the habit, particularly young adults and those who quit because cigarettes had become too expensive. Experts gathered at a crime conference in Canberra this week warned that organised crime syndicates are profiting enormously from this shift, creating a p