The health risks of smoking: what the evidence says
This is a tobacco retailer’s website, and the honest position is also the mainstream one: smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Australia, no variant is safer than another, and quitting at any age delivers measurable benefits. Here is what the evidence actually says.
| Check | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Area | What the evidence shows |
| Cancer | Linked to many cancers, including lung, throat, mouth, bladder and bowel |
| Heart and circulation | Raises risk of heart attack, stroke and peripheral vascular disease |
| Lungs | Causes COPD and chronic bronchitis; accelerates lung function decline |
| Oral health | Gum disease, tooth loss, delayed healing |
| Pregnancy | Increases risks to both mother and baby |
| “Low-tar” products | No reduction in risk — smokers compensate by inhaling more |
Why lighter products did not work
Tar and nicotine yield numbers were removed from Australian packs because research showed smokers adjusted their behaviour — inhaling deeper or smoking more — and ended up with the same exposure. That is the same reason “light” and “mild” are banned.
What happens when you quit
Benefits begin within days: carbon monoxide levels normalise, circulation and lung function improve, and risk of heart attack and stroke declines steadily over the following years. Long-term cancer risk falls too, though it does not return to that of a never-smoker.
Getting help, free and effective
Quitline 13 7848 and quit.org.au provide free, evidence-based support. Combining behavioural support with nicotine replacement therapy or prescription medication roughly doubles success rates compared with willpower alone. Your GP or pharmacist can guide the medical options.
Before you order — four checks that never change
- Price against the excise floor. Duty is $1.55274 a stick from 1 September 2026 — about $31 in a 20-pack and $310 in a carton. No product on the shelf is a lower-risk option — quitting is the only one that is.
- The pack in the photo. Legal Australian stock is drab brown (Pantone 448C) with graphic warnings covering at least 75% of the front and 90% of the back — no logos, no brand artwork.
- Age and delivery. Distance sellers must verify you are 18 or over, and somebody who can sign and show ID has to be at the address. Lockers and unstaffed addresses can be refused.
- State rules. South Australia prohibits mail and online tobacco orders outright; everywhere else requires an age-verification system.
Related reading
This article is general information, not medical or legal advice. All tobacco products are harmful and state rules change — check your state or territory regulator before ordering. For help quitting call Quitline on 13 7848.