Topics

Smoking and tobacco

Tobacco is a drug, usually breathed in as smoke from cigarettes. Nicotine, the main chemical in tobacco, is highly addictive. Smoking causes preventable illnesses and death. Find help to quit smoking or support someone close to you.

Learn about smoking and tobacco

Find out about smoking and tobacco – what they are, how they can affect you and how to reduce your risk when smoking.

What are the effects?

Discover how smoking and tobacco can affect your health and the health of those around you. Understand the impact on your finances.

Tobacco control

Learn about the laws that control the sale and advertising of tobacco products. Find out about plain packaging and the health warnings that must be used.

How to quit smoking

Quitting can be tough, but getting the right support will help make quitting easier.

View all smoking and tobacco information

New National Tobacco Strategy 2023–2030

The National Tobacco Strategy outlines our national policy framework for government and non-government organisations to work together to improve the health of all Australians by reducing smoking rates.

Find out more

Did you know?

13.8% of adults

were daily smokers in 2017–18

12.3 cigarettes

are smoked by daily smokers per day (on average)

75.3% of young people

aged 18 to 24 have never smoked

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – National Health Survey: First Results, 2017–18

View more facts and figures on smoking in Australia

Latest news

Latest news

Therapeutic Goods Administration Adj. Professor John Skerritt's interview on ABC Radio Sydney on 15 August 2022

Read the transcript of Therapeutic Goods Administration Adj. Professor John Skerritt's interview on ABC Radio Sydney on 15 August 2022.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly and Professor Anne Kelso's press conference on 23 June 2022

Read the transcript of Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly and Professor Anne Kelso's press conference on 23 June 2022 about e-cigarettes.

World No Tobacco Day 2022 Tobacco – Threat to our environment

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Browse smoking and tobacco for

Pregnant women

Not smoking is the safest option when you're pregnant or breastfeeding.

Children

What are the risks of smoking around your children and what you can do as a parent or carer.

Young people

What are the risks to your health and how to say 'no' to smokes. Learn what you can do as a parent or teacher.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

Find out what resources are available to reduce smoking in these communities.

Quitline

137 848

Contact Quitline for help to quit smoking. You can call the hotline on 13 QUIT (13 7848), to talk to a counsellor or request a callback. The Quitline offers an online chat service and has resources for health professionals. Visit their website for more information.

Latest resources

Latest resources

Health Ministers Meeting (HMM) – Communique 20 September 2023

Meeting minutes
Health Ministers are pleased to announce new appointments and reappointments of Chairs, practitioner members and community members to fill vacancies arising across nine National Boards regulating health professions under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (the National Scheme).

Health Ministers Meeting (HMM) – Communique 1 September 2023

Meeting minutes
Health Ministers from all Australian governments met on 1 September 2023 to discuss a range of important issues for Australia’s healthcare system. These include workforce and regulatory reforms to cosmetic surgery, medical college accreditation of specialist training sites, responses to allegations.
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