Every year Tobacco kills 15,500 Australians. Tobacco21 aims to reduce smoking in the age group most vulnerable to addiction by raising the minimum purchasing age for tobacco products to 21. The Tobacco21 Bill is currently being considered by Tasmania’s legislative council.
Minderoo Foundation is a modern philanthropic organisation that takes on persistent issues with the potential to drive massive change. Minderoo has committed over AUD $1.5 billion to a range of global initiatives, including ending modern slavery, global cancer research, creating parity for Indigenous Australians, and innovative community development and environmental conservation initiatives.
Minderoo’s Eliminate Cancer initiative strives to partner and share information globally to reduce the incidence of cancer, accelerate development of breakthrough therapies, and empower patients, scientists and clinicians to strive for a world where cancer is a treatable, non-fatal disease.
The simplest approach to eliminating cancer is to prevent it in the first place by reducing the supply and demand for tobacco products. We believe in the introduction of preventative measures such as raising the legal purchasing age for cigarettes to 21 years, and the continued prohibition of e-cigarettes in Australia.
Smoking remains the most preventable cause of death and disease in the world. The tobacco industry relentlessly peddles its deadly products, targeting kids and other vulnerable communities.
Ultimately, our goal is to eliminate tobacco consumption and harm for the next generation.
Published by Wells Economics
Jason Trewin is your typical hard-working Aussie.
At 14, he picked up his first cigarette. Now, he has just four weeks to live.
As a kid adjusting to city life, Jason was fortunate to have his young uncle take him under his wing. He kept him out of trouble and introduced him to the world of mechanics and cars. His uncle was his idol and he wanted to be just like him. So much so, at 14, he did as his uncle did and had a cigarette. He’s been addicted ever since…
At 52, Jason was diagnosed with lung cancer that’s now spread to his brain. His greatest regret is starting smoking.
“I started when I was just a kid because I didn’t know any better. Even now, I’m dying because of it, I still can’t give them up – that’s how stupid, deadly and addictive these things are. We need to make it harder for our kids to get cigarettes. Raise the minimum buying age to 21. We have to make change, and we have to make change now. We can stop this.”
15,500 Australians still die every year due to smoking.
We all need to play our part to make it harder to start smoking and easier to say no to cigarettes.
Help us raise the legal purchasing age of cigarettes to 21 years in your state.