Smoking and tobacco regulation

Higher prices discourage non-smokers from starting, encourage current smokers to quit, and discourage former smokers from starting again.   

Advocating for the Commonwealth Government to make an ongoing commitment to price increases on tobacco products is a Heart Foundation priority.  

Messages through mass media and public education campaigns are effective ways to communicate the hazards of tobacco and encourage people to make a quit attempt. 

We advocate strongly for investment in effective national and state media campaigns that will help educate all Australians about the dangers of tobacco smoke.

Recent campaigns include:

• Make Smoking History (WA)
• Quit Stalling NSW and Tasmania. 
• Don’t make smokes your story (national campaign with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the primary focus group).

• Quitline 13 78 48     
• Websites: www.quitnow.gov.au & www.quit.org.au
• Online tools: Heart Foundation Quit Smoking Action Plan and QuitCoach
• Mobile apps: My QuitBuddy and Quit for You-Quit for Two.

• reducing exposure to second-hand smoke
• reducing the number of cigarettes smoked and encouraging people to quit smoking
• de-normalising smoking

Exposure to second-hand smoke is associated with immediate and longer term risks for heart disease. Smoke-free environments protect non-smokers from the dangers of second-hand smoke. 

We support smoke-free legislation which is working to make all public places and popular outdoor venues, such as dining and drinking areas, completely smoke-free

Benefits of smoke-free environments

A consistent approach is needed across Australia to define and regulate smoke-free areas.

Health benefits of smoke-free environments

• Reduced cardiovascular disease, especially decreases in admissions to hospital of people having a heart attack
• Improved respiratory health, particularly decreases in asthma incidences and symptoms
• During the first year in which smoke-free legislation is in effect, communities have experienced a 15% drop in Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) hospital admissions. This decline reaches 36% by the third year after implementation.*
• Younger and non-smoking populations experienced the greatest declines. The Institute of Medicine (U.S.) concluded that there is a causal relationship between indoor smoking bans and reduced AMI risk.
• Improved respiratory health, particularly decreases in asthma attacks and symptoms

Economic benefits of smoke-free environments

• small positive effects on businesses including restaurants and bars
• increases in worker productivity
• reduced cleaning and maintenance costs
• reduced insurance costs 

Smoke-free housing

Additional information on smoke-free environment laws and regulations across Australia (PDF)

*From Economics of Tobacco and Tobacco Control 2016.

Price boards

Cigarette filters

Tobacco additives

• there are more sellers of cigarettes in areas of social and financial disadvantage
• people who are trying to quit smoking are more likely to relapse if tobacco is easily available
• the visibility of tobacco sellers normalises smoking and undermines other tobacco control efforts

Controls on the retail sale of tobacco