Australia: a packet of cigarettes costs around 20 Euros

In Australia, the price of a pack of cigarettes has been increasing by 12.5% per year since 2013, following a proactive public policy to combat tobacco led by the Australian authorities. As a result, the cheapest pack of 30 cigarettes will now cost $29 (18 euros), while some will cost up to $48 (30 euros).[1]

Tobacco price increases remain the most effective lever for reducing the prevalence of smoking among the population, but also for discouraging young people from trying tobacco products. These increases are also a measure of social justice, since they have an immediate effect on the prevalence of working classes, who are more affected by smoking than other social categories.

Australia is one of the world's leading figures in the fight against smoking, with the implementation of public policies that have proven their effectiveness: since the 1990s, the country has managed to halve its smoking prevalence, with 15.61% of adult smokers.

These results are also the result of a coherent and long-term policy, which is not limited to increasing taxes on tobacco products. Australia has in fact developed comprehensive legislation and has managed to develop increasing public spaces without tobacco and without vaping products. This is the case for beaches, terraces, cafes, and even prisons. These restrictions are all the more important since the prison environment is often the blind spot of anti-smoking policies, as is the case in France.