In Western NSW, twice the number of adults smoke compared to those in Sydney.

To slow the flow, new tobacco legislation will consolidate new laws with existing ones, aimed at preventing the next generation of smokers and associated health risks. 

The new legislation also tackles the growing wave of nicotine addiction through vaping, where young people (16-24 years) hold the market, despite once offering hope that Australia was ageing out of smoking. 

Being rolled out next year, the purchase of a new pack of smokes will see updated health warnings on the packaging, and health promotion inserts when opening the pack.

New and existing products designed to make tobacco more palatable, such as menthol or crush balls will be banned, and tobacco companies will be required to report the ingredients used in their products. 

“This new legislation, coupled with vaping regulations which take effect from 1 January 2024, will save tens of thousands of lives, and reassert the country as a world-leader in tobacco control,” CEO of the Public Health Association of Australia Adj Prof Slevin said. 

It follows a suite of new laws that were introduced late last month, further cracking down on the sale of nicotine vapes that aren’t medically prescribed.

While the ban has proven lacklustre in enforcement, with no shortage of vapes out and about, the new laws completely ban vapes (including nicotine-free) from containing enticing flavours or packaging. 

While not included in the new law, warnings on the actual cigarettes have been considered as a future policy and recommended by experts. (James Cook University)

The changes are designed to eliminate the appeal for young people, while making it simpler for banned items to be recognised when being imported into the country. 

While the vaping laws will begin on January 1 2024, The new Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) legislation will start from 1 April 2024, with a 12 month transition period.

National Tobacco Strategy

Minister for Health Mark Butler said that the new legislation is part of the National Tobacco Strategy 2023-2030, which aims to reduce the amount of daily smokers to 10 per cent by 2025, and 5 per cent by 2030. 

The number currently stands at 11.8 per cent, and another 7.3 per cent who are current vapers. 

“Tobacco has caused immeasurable harm and cost us countless lives,” Minister Butler said. 

“We cannot stand by and allow another generation of people to be lured into addiction and suffer the enormous health, economic and social consequences.”

The National Tobacco Strategy also plans to reduce the daily smoking rate of Indigenous people to 27 per cent or less by 2030, an issue that currently causes 37 per cent of all First Nations deaths.

Measures to achieve this were rolled out earlier this year, through the Tackling Indigenous Smoking (TIS) program, which will include youth activities, community education, awareness campaigns and smoke-free events.

Funding handed down from the TIS arrived at the Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Service, involving three teams that cover the Central West, Far West and New England regions to implement the program.