Smoking amongst Tasmania’s young men way above Australia’s average

The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics’ national health survey shows that smokers make up 45.8 per cent of Tasmania’s men aged 25-34, according to a Mercury story relayed by the TMA.

This figure compares with an Australian average rate of 26.7 per cent for men in the same age group.

ASH’s national chief executive, Anne Jones, urged the federal government to raise cigarette excise tax and provide additional grants to the Tasmanian government for smoking prevention programs.

Kathryn Barnsley, who is a member of SmokeFree Tasmania, said the state government should double its funding for mass-media anti-smoking programs.