Tobacco smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death in Australia — responsible for approximately 22,000 deaths and $136 billion in economic costs annually. Australia has been a world leader in tobacco control (plain packaging, high excise taxes, smoke-free legislation), and smoking rates have fallen significantly over decades. But approximately 10% of Australians still smoke daily, with significant disparities among Indigenous Australians (42% smoking rate), people experiencing disadvantage, and people with mental health conditions. Grant funding supports the cessation, prevention, and equity programmes that continue this work.
Current landscape
The vaping transition
Vaping (e-cigarettes) has created a new public health challenge:
- Youth vaping rates rising sharply — some estimates suggest up to 20% of 18-24 year olds vape
- Australia's therapeutic goods framework for vaping is evolving
- Vaping as cessation tool vs. vaping as new nicotine dependency pathway — contested area
- Illicit disposable vapes widely available despite restrictions
Tobacco industry context
Australia's tobacco control policies (plain packaging, graphic health warnings, high excise, comprehensive smoke-free spaces) are internationally recognised as gold standard — but the tobacco industry continues to invest in litigation, lobbying against regulation, and marketing in less-regulated environments.
Department of Health and Aged Care
National tobacco strategy funding:
- Quitline (13 QUIT) — national smoking cessation service
- National Tobacco Campaign (mass media)
- Research funding
- Regulatory framework development
NHMRC
Research grants for tobacco cessation, pharmacotherapy, and tobacco-related disease.
Closing the Gap
Indigenous tobacco control is a priority under Closing the Gap framework — state and Commonwealth tobacco control funding for Aboriginal communities.
State health departments
State quit lines, smoking cessation services, and prevention programmes.
Cancer Council
A major tobacco control advocate and funder:
- Quitline support and promotion
- Research
- Advocacy for stronger tobacco regulation
- Anti-tobacco advertising
Heart Foundation
Tobacco control as cardiovascular disease prevention.
Lung Foundation Australia
Smoking cessation as primary lung cancer and respiratory disease prevention.
VicHealth
Prevention-focused — tobacco control grants in Victoria.
The Menzies School of Health Research
Indigenous tobacco control research.
Australia's National Research Centre on Tobacco and Alcohol (NRCETA)
Research and policy.
Smoking cessation
Prevention
Vaping
Indigenous tobacco control
This is the most urgent equity priority:
- Community-controlled tobacco cessation programmes
- Cultural approaches to smoking cessation (smoking has social meanings in some Indigenous communities)
- Pregnant women smoking cessation (significant maternal and infant health impact)
- Family-based cessation approaches
- Culturally adapted NRT and pharmacotherapy access
Mental health and smoking
People with mental illness smoke at much higher rates:
- Smoking cessation integration in mental health services
- Smoke-free mental health facilities
- Tailored cessation programmes for people with schizophrenia, depression, etc.
- Healthcare professional training
Hospitals and workplaces
Pregnancy and smoking
Smoking in pregnancy causes significant harm:
- Midwifery-led cessation support
- NRT in pregnancy (evidence-based but underused)
- Indigenous pregnancy smoking cessation
- Culturally appropriate support
Vaping is the most significant current tobacco control challenge:
- Youth vaping has increased sharply, potentially renormalising nicotine use
- Illicit disposable vapes are widely available
- Vaping as cessation tool remains contested
- Regulatory framework evolving (prescription requirement for therapeutic vaping)
- Applications addressing youth vaping prevention and cessation are well-positioned
Indigenous equity
The 42% daily smoking rate among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is an enormous health equity issue — smoking underlies significant health disparities. Community-controlled, culturally appropriate cessation programmes have strong funder support.
Vaping urgency
Youth vaping is a growing and underserved priority — prevention, education, and cessation programmes are needed urgently as the regulatory and public health community catches up.
Integration with disease prevention
Tobacco cessation is the single most impactful intervention for cardiovascular disease, lung cancer, COPD, and pregnancy outcomes. Frame cessation as disease prevention to engage health funders.
Mental health and smoking
The co-occurrence of smoking and mental illness is high, undertreated, and consequential — tobacco cessation in mental health settings is an evidence-based, underserved priority.
Tahua's grants management platform supports public health funders and tobacco control organisations — with programme participant tracking, cessation outcome measurement, community reach data, and the reporting tools that help tobacco control funders demonstrate their investment in reducing Australia's leading preventable cause of death.