Tasmania aims to push the world's strictest smoking age restriction of 25. However, critics say that the government should focus on education and anti-alcohol campaigns instead.
The Australia state of Tasmania plans to lift the legal smoking age to 25. 9News reported that the proposal is part of the state's five-year preventive health plan to fight obesity and smoking by 2025.
Michael Ferguson, Tasmania's Health Minister, cited studies showing that young people start smoking before they reach the age of 25. The lifting of legal smoking age could help stop the younger generation from adopting the habit.
Ferguson added that there was a high percentage of youth who smoke in Tasmania, with 32% of 18 to 24 year-old Tasmanians smoking. "There would likely be significant health benefits for the community and savings to the health system over time if the rate of people taking up smoking was reduced," said Ferguson.
Penny Egan of the Cancer Council of Tasmania said that elevating the legal smoking age could help eliminate smoking addiction among Tasmanian youth. It was reported that Tasmania is one of the least healthy states in Australia.
Telegraph stated that the proposal was criticized by civil rights advocates and smoking businesses. Bill Rowlings of Civil Liberties Australia said, "If this is a health-based initiative, the big issue at the moment is domestic violence, and domestic violence is far more driven by alcohol-related problems then it is by tobacco." Meanwhile, others commented that the government should focus on education campaigns instead.
Australia implements very strict anti-smoking regulations such as heavy tariffs, smoking bans in public places, and simple cigarette packaging requirement. At present, the legal smoking age in the country is set at 18 years old.
Cities in the United States have also lifted the smoking age restriction to 21. Cleveland.com reported that more than 100 US cities put up the legal smoking age to 21. Some of these cities include New York and Kansas City.
Studies show that smoking is a more prominent cause of death in Australia than alcohol and drug abuse. The Tasmanian government is expected to announce the full plan for public review until February 2016.
