‘It’s a no-brainer’: Push to increase legal smoking age in Tasmania

An Independent Tasmanian politician hopes to lift the minimum legal smoking age in his state from 18 to 21, and says there has been interest from other states as well.

Ivan Dean, Independent Member for Windermere in the Tasmanian Legislative Council, says the increased age limit has worked “very well” in other countries.

“We’ve got to do something about the smoking rates in Tasmania, we can’t just sit back and let it continue the way it is,” he told Heidi Murphy on 3AW Drive.

“17.6 per cent of adults smoke in Tasmania, the national average is 15 per cent, so we’re well and truly above that.

“But then if you look at the age group we’re targeting, the 18 to 24 year age group, 22.6 per cent of that age group are smoking in Tasmania.”

If the law is passed it will make Tasmania the first state in Australia to increase the minimum legal smoking age.

“The other states are watching this very closely,” he said.

“We’ve had contact from other states, and I’ve got no doubt at all, if it’s successful, and there’s no reason why it won’t be, that the other states will follow.”

Click PLAY to hear the interview below