Australia's smoking rates fall as illicit tobacco trade surges

National data released in 2025 show daily smoking among Australians aged 14 and over has dropped to 5.6%, down from 8.3% in 2022‑23, and overall nicotine use fell to 15.2%. The Lung Foundation Australia said the decline demonstrates that "Australia’s comprehensive approach to tobacco control is working" and warned against lowering tobacco excise, which would benefit multinational tobacco companies.

Despite the decline, the illicit tobacco market is expanding. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported that 34% of smokers bought illegal cigarettes in the past three months, more than double the 2022‑23 level. NSW Health seized 20.5 million illicit cigarettes and 214,000 illegal vaping products in the last financial year, while tax revenues from tobacco have collapsed and violence linked to organised crime has risen. Public‑health experts such as Professor Becky Freeman stressed that "tobacco control is still working" but called for stricter licensing and enforcement to curb the cheap, unregulated supply.