News & Media

Fewer Australians smoking, but illicit trade needs tougher measures New data from the 2025 National Drug Strategy Household Survey show that daily smoking among Australians aged 14 and over fell to 5.6% in 2025—down from 8.3% in 2022–23 and 19.5% in 2001—while...

Health bodies unite to expose big tobacco’s push for tax cuts that would reverse 25 years of progress Open letter released on second day of illicit tobacco inquiry hearings Cancer Council Australia and a coalition of health organisations have come together to...

Health advocates slam decision to let tobacco industry give secret briefing 4 May 2026 – Tobacco industry lobbyists have been allowed to give a secret briefing to a senate inquiry in what health advocates have described as a “sleazy attempt to covertly influence...

Big Tobacco’s big decoy: the 66 daily deaths today’s Senate Hearing must not ignore Sixty-six bodybags will be laid on the lawns of Parliament House today to represent the sixty-six Australians dying every day from tobacco. Inside the building, at the first hearing...

Illegal tobacco: New Illicit Tobacco Ladder shows which states are up for the tackle and which are still on the bench In a bid to assess progress in the fight against illegal tobacco the Australian Council on Smoking and Health (ACOSH) today released a National...

Australians agree there are too many shops selling tobacco in Australia — and they want governments to lift the bar Australians believe tobacco is far too easy to access and want governments to significantly lift the bar on who can sell it, as the national concern...

WA public strongly backs tough new laws to shut down illicit tobacco and vape shops New research shows Western Australians overwhelmingly support immediate shop closure powers and stronger enforcement to crack down on illegal tobacco and vapes — and ACOSH is...

ACOSH backs tough new WA laws targeting illicit tobacco and vapes The Australian Council on Smoking and Health (ACOSH) has welcomed the Cook Government’s introduction of tough new tobacco and vape laws to Parliament this week, saying the reforms are a major step...

Big tobacco tax tantrums lead to dirty ashtray gongs British American Tobacco’s (BAT) efforts to roll back taxes on tobacco, reframe regulation and rehabilitate its image, has earned it this year’s Dirty Ashtray and Exploding Vape Awards. It’s the first time both...

ACOSH Applauds Lotterywest for Cracking Down on Illegal Tobacco and Vape Sales The Australian Council on Smoking and Health (ACOSH) has issued a strong warning to retailers engaging in illegal tobacco and vape sales, following decisive action by Lotterywest that...

Cheap, Addictive, and Everywhere — Outdated WA Tobacco Laws Failing to Stop the Illegal Trade With new data showing the worrying extent of illegal tobacco and vape sales across Perth suburbs, the Australian Council on Smoking and Health (ACOSH) is calling for...

Failing The Smoke Test — National Scorecard Exposes States and Territories Falling Behind on Tobacco and Vape Reform A nationwide scorecard assessing the performance of each state and territory on tackling tobacco and vapes has been released by the Australian...