Push to stamp out cigs and vapes
Alarm at Tassie adult smoking rates
A FRESH bid to tackle Tasmania’s stubbornly high smoking rates will take aim at both traditional tobacco products as well as electronic cigarettes, Premier Jeremy Rockliff says.
An average of 559 people a year die from smoking-related causes in Tasmania.
The government unveiled its four-year Tasmanian Tobacco Action Plan on Wednesday, with Mr Rockliff and Director of Public Health Dr Mark Veitch visiting Campania District School.
We want a Tasmania where young people are not growing up exposed to smoking. JEREMY ROCKLIFF
Among Australian jurisdictions, Tasmanian boasts a rate of adult smoking second only to the Northern Territory at 17.6 per cent, although more than a quarter of males aged 25-44 are smokers.
The overall smoking rate has slowly declined from about 24 per cent in 2001.
“The Tasmanian Liberal government is committed to reducing the prevalence of smoking and the harm it causes in communities across the state,” Mr Rockliff said on Wednesday.
“We want a Tasmania where young people are not growing up exposed to smoking, where supportive environments ensure that people do not take up smoking, and where encouragement is provided for people to quit these addictive products.
“We want to see fewer Tasmanians taking up smoking, more Tasmanians quitting smoking, decreased access to smoking products and more smoke-free environments established.
“The plan acknowledges that while we have made strong progress in reducing the rate of smoking in Tasmania in recent years, smoking rates remain unacceptably high.”
The Tasmanian Tobacco Action Plan 2022-2026 focuses on five key action areas including: encouraging and supporting all people who smoke to quit for good, preventing Tasmanians from taking up smoking and prioritising support for people with the greatest needs.
“Smoking remains the number-one cause of preventable illness and death in Tasmania, and we have the second highest rate of smoking in Australia. Sustained action over many years has reduced the prevalence of smoking in Tasmania, but there is more to be done,” Mr Rockliff said.
“We are also committed to reducing the use of electronic cigarettes, which are also known as e-cigarettes or vapes.
“These can be harmful, and people who have never smoked may be more likely to take up smoking if they use ecigarettes.”
The proportion of Tasmanians regularly using e-cigarettes has increased from 1.2 per cent to 1.7 per cent, the latest figures show.