Prevalence of current tobacco use (% of adults) in Australia
Australia: Prevalence of current tobacco use (% of adults) was 11.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of current tobacco use in Australia, 2000–2024
Source: Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of adults.
Analysis
The most recent figure for prevalence of current tobacco use in Australia is 11.6%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 9 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.3% on the previous year and down 24.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of current tobacco use in Australia peaked at 24.9% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 11.6%, in 2024.
Australia ranks 121st of 166 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Prevalence of current tobacco use (% of adults) in Australia, year by year
| Year | % of adults | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 24.9% | — |
| 2005 | 21.2% | -14.9% |
| 2007 | 19.9% | -6.1% |
| 2010 | 18.1% | -9.0% |
| 2015 | 15.4% | -14.9% |
| 2020 | 13.2% | -14.3% |
| 2022 | 12.4% | -6.1% |
| 2023 | 12.0% | -3.2% |
| 2024 | 11.6% | -3.3% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 11.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 21.2%, 55% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Australia's 11.6% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 23.1%, 50% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 22.0% | 19.9% | 24.9% | 3 |
| 2010s | 16.8% | 15.4% | 18.1% | 2 |
| 2020s | 12.3% | 11.6% | 13.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More health data for Australia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.83 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.9072 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 215 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2021)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0279 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0295 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of current tobacco use in Australia?
- Prevalence of current tobacco use in Australia was 11.6% in 2024, according to Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest prevalence of current tobacco use recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 24.9% in 2000.
- What is the lowest prevalence of current tobacco use recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.6% in 2024.
- How does Australia rank for prevalence of current tobacco use?
- Australia ranks 121st out of 166 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of current tobacco use rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Prevalence of current tobacco use (% of adults). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The percentage of the population ages 15 years and over who currently use any tobacco product (smoked and/or smokeless tobacco) on a daily or non-daily basis. Tobacco products include cigarettes, pipes, cigars, cigarillos, waterpipes (hookah, shisha), bidis, kretek, heated tobacco products, and all forms of smokeless (oral and nasal) tobacco. Tobacco products exclude e-cigarettes (which do not contain tobacco), “e-cigars”, “e-hookahs”, JUUL and “e-pipes”. The rates are age-standardized to the WHO Standard Population.