Media Release
The nation’s peak lung health body has welcomed the launch of the 2023-2030 National Tobacco Strategy and urges all Australian governments to fund its implementation.
Lung Foundation Australia CEO Mark Brooke said the key goal of the strategy is to reduce Australia’s daily smoking rate to under 5 per cent by 2030 – an ambitious target with the rate currently at 11 per cent.
“While Australia has been successful in reducing smoking rates through world leading policies, public awareness campaigns and program support, we need to renew our focus,” Mr Brooke said.
“Tobacco control is far from completed and vaping control is just getting started.
“The most recent estimate on the annual national cost of tobacco is $137 billion – two thirds of this were from premature deaths, and $7 billion in costs to the healthcare system.”
Mr Brooke said healthy public policy is the most effective tool to reach smoking reduction targets, as demonstrated by the success of plain packaging laws, advertising reforms and increased taxation.
“In particular we commend the Health Minister’s announcement yesterday of a $63 million public health campaign to combat vaping and smoking rates and Lung Foundation Australia is determined to work with the Government in the development of this campaign to ensure the message is empowering and doesn’t stigmatise smokers or vapers,” he said.
“The tactics of Big Tobacco to maintain an addictive hold on Australians, particularly among groups with higher tobacco use than the general population, are ever more calculating.
“We need to educate and lead with empathy when it comes to fighting their insidious, greed-driven assault on public health.
“With vapes, the tobacco industry is clearly rolling out the same playbook, and we welcome both the actions detailed in the Strategy, and those announced by the Minister to protect the lung health of our young Australians.”
Mr Brooke said other vital priorities outlined in the Strategy include actions towards increasing access to evidence-based cessation services and $141 million toward the Tackling Indigenous Smoking program.
“Lung Foundation Australia urge all Australian governments to wholly support the National Tobacco Strategy and call for coordination between jurisdictions to implement this life-saving plan, with the imminent reforms presenting an exciting opportunity for action that will see Australia as a world leader in tobacco and vaping control.”
For media enquiries please contact:
Media and Communications Specialist
Anna Jeffries, 0408 191 192
annaj@lungfoundation.com.au