Overall, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are almost 3 times more likely to smoke compared to non-Indigenous Australians.
Smoking prevalence for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population aged 18 years and over was 31 percentage points higher than that for the non-Indigenous population (55% compared with 24%) in 1994/1995, and 29 percentage points higher in 2014–15 (45% compared with 16%).
The figure shows that the proportion of Indigenous Australian people aged 18 and over who smoke has steadily declined, from 54.5% in 1994 to 43.4% in 2018–19. Similarly, the proportion of non-Indigenous Australian people who smoke declined from 24% in 2002 to 15.1% in 2017–18.
In NSW, the smoking rates among Aboriginal people remains high despite some significant decreases in the smoking rates in the general population. Health Stats NSW shows: In 2018-2019, 26.4 per cent of Aboriginal adults aged 16 years and over smoked daily.
But 72% of the non-Indigenous population actually drank alcohol, while only 62% of the Indigenous population did. One common stereotype of Indigenous Australians is that they all drink alcohol to excess.
The reasons for the high smoking rates among Aboriginal people are complex. They include: being exposed to smoking early in life and living in a community where smoking is 'the social norm' social disadvantage such as living in poverty, leaving school early and unemployment.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people smoke more than other Australians and are at higher risk of serious disease and death.
Male smoking rates were higher in all adult age groups. People aged 40-49 years had higher smoking rates than other age groups, with a smoking rate of 19%. People aged 70 years and over were least likely to smoke (5%). Daily smoking rates for Australians aged 18 and over have dropped from 20% in 2001 to 12% in 2019.
Certain countries stand out for their alarmingly high smoking rates. Nauru takes the lead with a staggering 48.50% of its population engaging in smoking habits. Myanmar, Serbia, Papua New Guinea, and East Timor also face high smoking rates, exceeding 35%.
Daily smoking rates in Australia are around the lowest among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries – 11.2% for Australians aged 15 and over in 2019 (AIHW 2020, Table 2.7) 16.1% in 2021 (or nearest year) for OECD countries (OECD 2022).
a cigarette, a dhurrie: Hey mate can u spare a bulyu ? Contributor's comments: This is an Aboriginal word from northern and western South Australia, literally meaning "smoke", traditionally the smoke from a fire, but now used to refer to tobacco as in "gimme bulyu" "give me a cigarette".
Latest findings
In 2019, 11.0% of Australians smoked tobacco daily, down from 12.2% in 2016 and 24% in 1991. Between 2016 and 2019, the proportion of people who had ever used e-cigarettes rose from 8.8% to 11.3%. Between 2016 and 2019, the proportion of ex-drinkers rose from 7.6% to 8.9%.
Daily percentage of smokers among persons aged 15 and over
The countries with the fewest smokers are Sweden (9.3 per cent), Iceland (11.2 per cent), Finland (12.5 per cent), Norway (12.9 per cent) and Luxembourg (13.5 per cent).
By Race/Ethnicity
Current cigarette smoking was highest among non-Hispanic adults from other racial groups and lowest among non-Hispanic Asian adults.
China smoking rate for 2020 was 25.60%, a 0.1% decline from 2019. China smoking rate for 2019 was 25.70%, a 0% increase from 2018. China smoking rate for 2018 was 25.70%, a 0.2% decline from 2015. China smoking rate for 2015 was 25.90%, a 0.3% decline from 2010.
While lung tissue cells do regenerate, there's no way a smoker can return to having the lungs of a non-smoker. At best, they will carry a few scars from their time smoking, and at worst, they're stuck with certain breathing difficulties for the rest of their lives.
Smoking is far more common among people with lower incomes. The more disadvantaged someone is, the more likely they are to smoke and to suffer from smoking-related disease and premature death. Improving social conditions is not, however, a sufficient strategy to reduce smoking prevalence in more disadvantaged groups.
Nearly every 4th adult in the world smokes tobacco. More than one-third (37%) of men in the world do, but just over 8% of women.
In addition, interrelated socio-economic factors (such as income, employment, education, and housing), as well as other social factors (such as incarceration, removal from family, and racism) are important determinants of tobacco use in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities (see Section 8.3), and can hinder ...
1: Vaping is less harmful than smoking, but it's still not safe. E-cigarettes heat nicotine (extracted from tobacco), flavorings and other chemicals to create an aerosol that you inhale. Regular tobacco cigarettes contain 7,000 chemicals, many of which are toxic.
NSW Aboriginal Quitline
The Aboriginal Quitline is a free, culturally sensitive, confidential and individually tailored service to assist you in the process of quitting smoking. You can access this service by calling 13 7848 from anywhere in Australia.
Smoking ceremony is an ancient and contemporary custom among some Aboriginal Australians that involves smouldering native plants to produce smoke. This herbal smoke is believed to have both spiritual and physical cleansing properties, as well as the ability to ward off bad spirits.
The TIS program is an Indigenous-led program offering a locally-tailored mix of tobacco control activities in communities. It aims to raise awareness about the harms of smoking, vaping and second-hand smoke.