The Unique Story of Indigenous Smoking in Australia: How Smoking Was Introduced and the Ongoing Challenges and Solutions

Cigars
July 15, 2025

The Unique Story of Indigenous Smoking in Australia: How Smoking Was Introduced and the Ongoing Challenges and Solutions

By Tony Mantos

When we talk about smoking and its impact on Australian health, the statistics are already confronting. But within Indigenous communities, the issue is even more complex, rooted in a layered history of colonisation, cultural change, and modern health disparities. Understanding how smoking came to be such a significant issue among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples means taking a step back through history, and also looking forward to the innovative solutions being led by Indigenous voices today.

Smoking Wasn’t Always Part of Indigenous Life

Before British colonisation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples had no access to tobacco. However, that doesn’t mean the act of smoking was completely absent. Some communities used native plants, such as pituri in Central Australia, in ceremonial or medicinal contexts. These plants were often chewed or used in ways tied closely to cultural practices and did not involve the same harms as commercial tobacco.

The arrival of British settlers in 1788 marked a turning point. Tobacco was introduced alongside alcohol and sugar as part of trade, rations, and control. In fact, throughout much of the 19th and 20th centuries, tobacco was distributed as payment for labour, particularly on missions and pastoral stations. This not only established a dependency on nicotine but also ingrained tobacco into social and economic life within many Indigenous communities.

A Public Health Crisis Built Over Generations

Today, the legacy of this forced introduction of tobacco continues to affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, around 40% of Indigenous Australians aged 15 and over are current daily smokers, compared to 11% of the general population. In some remote communities, that figure is much higher.

The impact is devastating. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death among Indigenous Australians, responsible for around 37% of deaths in this population, based on findings from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory illnesses are all made worse by high smoking rates.

What makes this even more tragic is that many Indigenous Australians take up smoking at a young age, often influenced by the normalisation of smoking within family and community settings, combined with stress, trauma, and socio-economic disadvantage.

Tackling Smoking the Indigenous Way

The good news? Progress is happening, and it’s being driven by Indigenous communities themselves.

Programs like Tackling Indigenous Smoking (TIS) are showing real promise. Led by Aboriginal organisations across the country, TIS focuses on community-based, culturally appropriate strategies to help reduce smoking rates. That includes everything from school programs and sporting club initiatives to local media campaigns and culturally safe quit support.

A standout example is the Deadly Choices program, which promotes healthy lifestyle decisions among young Indigenous people through partnerships with sporting heroes and local events. The message is simple: making healthy choices, including quitting smoking, is a deadly (excellent) decision.

Research shows these culturally tailored programs are far more effective than mainstream campaigns. When health messages are delivered by trusted community members and framed through a strengths-based lens rather than shame, people are more likely to engage and follow through.

Supporting Indigenous-Led Solutions

For those of us outside these communities, supporting this movement means listening, learning, and advocating. That could be as simple as being aware of the unique challenges Indigenous Australians face with smoking or pushing for more funding for Indigenous-led health services in your region.

Health professionals also have a role to play in providing culturally safe care. That means building trust, offering respectful support for quitting, and understanding that smoking for some Indigenous Australians is not just a habit but something deeply tied to history, trauma, and community.

The Path Forward

Ending the cycle of smoking harm in Indigenous communities is not about placing blame or prescribing one-size-fits-all solutions. It’s about recognising the unique story of how tobacco was introduced, understanding the cultural and historical context, and empowering communities with the tools and support they need to take control of their health.

There’s still a long way to go, but every cigarette not smoked, every young person who decides not to start, and every community-led program that gets funded is a step in the right direction.

It’s time we respect the truth of how this crisis began and ensure that Indigenous Australians are at the centre of how it ends.