In A Bid To Make Australia Smoking-Free, Cigarettes May Be Made Available On Prescription

With a respiratory disease running rampant across the globe, many people with unhealthy habits appear to be especially vulnerable. That apart, smoking is a bad habit to have at any point and one the country is determined to take radical steps to stamp it out permanently!

Reuters

In a bold new move to phase out smoking, people will be made to buy cigarettes with a prescription or at a pharmacy in Australia.

The roadmap to eradicate cigarette smoking in Australia will be the focus of a new University of Queensland and National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)-funded, $3 million Centre of Research Excellence.

Also Read: Fans Want To Know What Kangana Was Smoking When She Dared Vicky 'Kaushik' To Take A Drug Test

According to 7News, the ambitious plan to stub out cigarettes for good is being explored by a new centre at the University of Queensland.

As per University of Queensland, the study said Australia's smoking prevalence stands at just under 15 per cent and the aim is to reduce that figure to zero.

Reuters

"Australia is a global tobacco control leader and has been at the cutting edge of many new policies," Associate Professor Coral Gartner, CREATE director, told 9News.

Also Read: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern Admits To Smoking Weed 'A Long Time Ago'

"An effective tobacco endgame strategy should accelerate the decline in smoking prevalence while assisting governments, retailers and people who smoke. to transition to a smoke-free society."

The centre will focus research efforts on what an appropriate endgame target and timeframe should be, and the best way to eliminate smoking disparities and stop children¡¯s exposure to second-hand smoke.

Reuters

Various strategies will be explored include reducing the number of tobacco retailers and restricting sales to particular suppliers.

One of them will be ending sales to everyone born after a certain year!

Also Read: Video Of Crab Smoking A Cigarette Is More Proof Of How We're Destroying The Environment

The Australian government currently has a goal of reducing smoking prevalence to 10 per cent by 2025. Currently, about 2.3 million people smoke tobacco daily in Australia - less than 15 per cent of the adult population. The habit causes almost one in seven deaths.