Radical plan to make Australia smoking-free says prescription cigarette sales should be considered
A bold plan to end smoking in Australia has flagged prescription cigarette sales among measures aimed at slashing tobacco usage.
The University of Queensland study said Australia's smoking prevalence stands at just under 15 per cent, but a detailed road map is needed to reduce that figure to zero.
Proposals by the Centre for Research Excellence on Achieving the Tobacco Endgame (CREATE) include reducing the number of tobacco retailers and restricting sales to particular outlets such as pharmacies.
Research by the University of Queensland suggests radical measures to make Australia smoking-free. iStock
"Australia is a global tobacco control leader and has been at the cutting edge of many new policies," Associate Professor Coral Gartner, CREATE director, said.
"An effective tobacco endgame strategy should accelerate the decline in smoking prevalence while assisting governments, retailers and people who smoke to transition to a smoke-free society."
Researchers also suggested ending sales to people born after a specified year and phasing out commercial cigarette sales.
Associate Professor Gartner said specific plans and a timetable had still to be determined.
"An effective tobacco endgame strategy should accelerate the decline in smoking prevalence while assisting governments, retailers and people who smoke to transition to a smoke-free society," she said.
One of the proposals is to limit cigarette sales to certain outlets such as pharmacies. AAP
Department of Health figures showed about 2.3 million people smoke tobacco daily in Australia - less than 15 per cent of adults.
The habit causes almost one in seven deaths.
The Federal Government aims to reduce that figure to 10 per cent by 2025.
Smoking prevalence has been declining at an average rate of about 0.4 per cent per year since 2010.
Share a tip-off, video or photo with us
Most viewed in Australia
One Nation’s drastic plan to slash migration by 750,000 slammed by farmers
Sydney family’s warning after discovering father’s lost super years after his death
Australian woman who died after falling from cliff near Bali was Queensland ecologist
PM ‘stunned’ over Pauline Hanson’s attack on his late mother
