13.8% of Australians smoke In 1945 –72% of male and 26% of female adult Australians smoked. By 1980 some 35% (41% of men and 30% of women) of adult Australians smoked. In 2020, just 13.8% of adult Australians (about 16% of men and 12% of women) smoke. These numbers suggest that women are smarter than […]

13.8% of Australians smoke In 1945 –72% of male and 26% of female adult Australians smoked. By 1980 some 35% (41% of men and 30% of women) of adult Australians smoked. In 2020, just 13.8% of adult Australians (about 16% of men and 12% of women) smoke. These numbers suggest that women are smarter than men when it comes to avoiding bad habits. They also highlight the fact that smoking rates have declined markedly since 1945 – especially among men.Much of the decline in smoking rates can be attributed to anti-smoking legislations and campaigns. That said, research has also found that the health warnings, while impacting on the behaviour of smokers did not impact as strongly as changes in social norms. Between 1945 and 2020, smoking went from being a social norm and expectation to a social ill. In 1945 it was expected that adults and in particular men would…