Australia Introduces Major Changes to Tobacco Products in 2025

"From the first half of 2025, Australia is rolling out significant changes to tobacco products as part of new national tobacco control laws. These changes, fully effective from 1 July 2025, aim to reduce the appeal of smoking, highlight its dangers, and support smokers who want to quit. Key measures include banning flavours like menthol and rum, removing misleading names such as “smooth” and “gold,” standardising pack and cigarette sizes, and introducing uniform cigarette shapes. All tobacco packaging will carry updated health warnings, and products will include information cards offering quit support. These measures may result in some products disappearing from the market. Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in Australia, responsible for over 24,000 deaths annually. Many smokers wish to quit but face challenges due to nicotine addiction. The updated regulations are intended to make smoking less attractive, especially to young people, and reinforce that no form of tobacco is safe."