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2017/14:Should the smoking age in Australia be raised to 21?





Introduction to the media issue

Video clip at right:
On October 1, 2017, News Online reported on Andrew Forrest's plan to have the legal age at which tobacco can be purchased increased to 21. If you cannot see this clip, it will be because video is blocked by your network. To view the clip, access from home or from a public library, or from another network which allows viewing of video clips.


What they said...

' We need to stop fuelling big tobacco preying on our vulnerable youth'
Australian philanthropist and iron ore magnate, Andrew Forrest

'If you're going to look at what age people are entitled to do things, you've got to look at driving and at drinking alcohol and other measures'
Chief executive of Civil Liberties Australia, Bill Rowlings

The controversy at a glance
On October 1, 2017, Australian philanthropist and iron ore magnate, Andrew Forrest, called on the Australian state governments to lift the legal smoking age from 18 to 21.
Mr Forrest presented the idea, which has the support of the Australian Medical Association and the Cancer Council, to a recent COAG health ministers' meeting. Most ministers are yet to publicly commit to the plan.
The New South Wales Health Minister, Brad Hazzard, confirmed Mr Forrest's plan to raise the smoking age to 21 was being considered in his state. Mr Hazzard stated, ' I'll look at all options, along with other state and territory leaders, as we move forward.'
The proposal has been considered previously. In 2015, the Tasmanian government announced that it was considering lifting the legal smoking age to either 21 or 25. The following year the government changed its position.
On July 28, 2016, Tasmania's Health Minister, Michael Ferguson, announced the plan was being dropped. Mr Ferguson stated, 'As I said at the time we released the proposal for consultation, it is a challenging proposal involving a balance of preserving individual adult rights and freedom of choice with the desire to reduce youth smoking.' The Tasmanian plan had encountered opposition from civil liberties groups.
Andew Forrest's proposal has also met with some criticism. Imperial Tobacco Australia spokeswoman Michelle Park, said the company supported sensible, practical and evidence- based regulation of tobacco products. Ms Park further claimed, 'The proposal to increase the legal smoking age to 21 is none of these things.'