Tobacco remains the leading cause of premature death in Australia, but trends suggest things are changing for the better.
According to new data from the national drug strategy household survey, fewer Australians aged 18 years and older are smoking each day, with an historic low of 5.8%.
Rates of daily smoking in the latest data are a marked improvement on the government’s 2025 national smoking target of 10%.
Commenting on the findings, Health Minister Mark Butler observed that Australia was becoming a healthier country, with 500,000 fewer daily smokers than three years ago.