How many Australians die each year from tobacco-related causes?
In Australia, tobacco use is the leading cause of death and accounts for the second-highest burden of disease (after overweight and obesity). In 2024, 12% of preventable deaths in Australia were caused by tobacco use. Recent data indicates that more than 24,000 deaths every year in Australia are attributable to tobacco.
Source: AIHW (2024) Australian Burden of Disease Study 2024 and Joshy et al (2025). Relationship of tobacco smoking to cause-specific mortality: contemporary estimates from Australia. BMC Med 23, 115.