Australia continues efforts to reduce smoking in Aboriginal and Islander communities

The Australian government will invest an additional $187.8 million (around €120 million) in the program. Tackling Indigenous Smoking (TIS), designed to reduce smoking in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities[1].

Smoking is a major driver of health and mortality inequalities between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians. Approximately 401% of Aboriginal adults reported smoking in 2019, compared with 11.6% of non-Indigenous Australians. As part of the National Preventive Health Strategy, the government has committed to reducing smoking prevalence among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to below 271% by 2030.

Smoking prevalence remains high among Aboriginal populations

The 2018-19 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey shows a strong downward trend in smoking prevalence over the past 15 years, resulting in fewer tobacco-related illnesses and many lives saved (smoking prevalence was 54.5% in 1994). However, this decline in smoking has not been uniform across regions. While the reduction in smoking prevalence is evident in urban areas, little change has occurred among populations in remote areas. For example, approximately 50% of residents living in remote areas use tobacco daily, compared to 35% of Aboriginal people living in cities. Reducing smoking prevalence in remote areas is therefore a priority of the "TIS" program, which includes promoting smoking cessation services, supporting smoke-free housing, and implementing targeted prevention campaigns.[2].

According to a study by the Australian National University[3], of all deaths affecting these populations, tobacco is involved in 37% of cases. This proportion even reaches 50% of deaths from the age of 45.

The consequences of targeted marketing by the tobacco industry

At a press conference, Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt denounced the tobacco industry's targeted marketing against the country's indigenous population, which he described as "disgusting" and "indecent."[4]The tobacco industry has been expanding its sales to these populations for decades through targeted advertising.[5]. As recently as recently as last year, Philip Morris sent letters to Aboriginal organizations promoting its heated tobacco device. Similarly, the Philip Morris International-funded Foundation for a Smoke-Free World has targeted Indigenous peoples by funding the "Centre for Research Excellence: Indigenous Sovereignty and Smoking" in Auckland.

However, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders have joined other Australian tobacco control researchers in calling for the Foundation's funding or any other tobacco industry funding to be rejected.

Keywords: Australia, smoking cessation, Aboriginal people, islanders, targeted marketing, TIS Photo credit: ©LUIS ASCUI/EPA/Newscom/MaxPPP ©Generation Without Tobacco

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[1] Press release, $188 million to extend Indigenous anti-smoking program, Australian Department of Health website, January 4, 2022, accessed the same day [2] Thomas DP, Calma T. Tackling Indigenous smoking: a good news story in Australian tobacco control. Public Health Res Pract. 2020;30(3):e3032019. [3] Katherine A Thurber, Emily Banks, Grace Joshy, Kay Soga, Alexandra Marmor, Glen Benton, Sarah L White, Sandra Eades, Raglan Maddox, Tom Calma, Raymond Lovett, Tobacco smoking and mortality among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults in Australia, International Journal of Epidemiology, 2021;, dyaa274, https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyaa274 [4] Jonathan Talbot, 'Disgusting and inappropriate': Greg Hunt eviscerates tobacco companies for targeting Indigenous Australians, Sky News, January 3, 2022, accessed January 4, 2022 [5] Van der Sterren, A, Greenhalgh, EM, Knoche, D, & Winstanley, MH 8.12 The tobacco industry and Indigenous communities. In Scollo, MM and Winstanley, MH [editors].Tobacco in Australia: Facts and issues. Melbourne: Cancer Council Victoria; 2016. National Committee Against Smoking |