Essay Question 1

• The National Tobacco Campaign (NTC) holds crucial objectives to reduce smoking rates in Australia
• Tobacco use negatively impacts the health and well-being of Australians, leading to smoking-related illness and spiked mortality and morbidity rates
• Tobacco use leads to health problems such as lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases, and various cancers
• Around 12% of Australians aged 18 and over were daily smokers in 2019, down from 20% in 2001
• Tobacco-related diseases consume a substantial portion of healthcare resources, including hospitalizations, medications, surgeries, and long-term care
• Smoking rates are higher among certain demographic groups, including Indigenous Australians, people living in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, and individuals with mental health conditions
• Public health authorities and policymakers need to prioritise efforts to combat tobacco use to address disparities and reduce smoking rates further
• The NTC has successfully reached a diverse group of individuals across Australia with evidence-based initiatives for smoking prevention
• The NTC has used TV ads, resources in different languages, and programs aimed at vulnerable groups like Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and pregnant women to reduce smoking rates
• There has been a shift in smoking patterns with fewer people smoking cigarettes and an increase in the use of alternative tobacco products like e-cigarettes
• NTC has adapted its campaign to educate young people on the negative health impacts of vaping as well
• NTC's initiatives have created a more aware environment regarding the health risks linked to smoking and influenced tobacco control policies
• NTC has implemented impactful initiatives and programs towards tobacco control including smoke-free environments, plain packaging legislation, and the Quitline service to assist smokers in quitting
• NTC's efforts have contributed to significant reductions in smoking rates and positive societal attitudes towards smoking
• The tobacco industry's interference and international trade agreements pose significant obstacles to NTC's efforts
• There are still high rates of smoking among low socio-economic groups and Indigenous communities despite NTC's success
• Smoking is estimated to kill almost 20,500 Australians a year (13% of all deaths)
• Targeted interventions and equal access to cessation support services are important for disadvantaged groups
• NTC remains committed to reducing tobacco-related harm in Australia
• NTC has made commendable achievements in combating tobacco use and reducing smoking rates in Australia
• NTC has effectively raised awareness about the health risks associated with smoking and encouraged cessation efforts despite its challenges
• Aussies aged 18+ over who were daily smokes in 2019 which was approx 12% down from 20% in 2007
• Estimate of approx 20,500 aussies die from smoking annually = 13% of all deaths
• Smoking rates high among Indigenous Australians, socioeconomically disadvantaged areas and individuals with mental illness
• NTC


  National Tobacco Control
• Crucial objectives reduce smoking rates in Australia
• Smoking negatively impacts health + wellbeing of Australians
• Smoking related illness leads to increased mortality + morbidity rates
• Tobacco use causes health problems like lung cancer, various cancers, cardiovascular disease, age-related disease worsening, respiratory diseases
• Smoking consumes economic resources e.g. healthcare resources, hospitalisation costs, medications, surgeries, long-term care
• Public health authorities + policy makers prioritise disparities = reduction of smoking rates
• NTC employs evidence-based initiatives nationwide for smoking prevention

  1. TV ads

  2. Multilingual resources

  3. Programs targeting vulnerable groups
• Significant reduction in smoking rates observed
• Shift in smoking patterns towards alternative products like e-cigarettes
• NTC adapts a campaign to educate youth about health risks of vaping
• NTC initiatives/programs increase awareness of smoking-related health risks and influence tobacco control policies such as taxation and packaging regulations
• NTC implements initiatives/programs


  1. Enactment of smoke-free environments

  2. Plain packaging legislation

  3. Quitline service provides control
• NTC's contribution leads to reductions on smoking rates + positive societal attitudes
• Negative impacts include tobacco industry interference + international trade agreements on politics (monetary)
• Disparities remain (high rates of smoking in low socioeconomic areas and Indigenous communities)