The consumption of cigarettes has risen for the first time in more than a decade, with one expert claiming high taxes do nothing to deter smokers from lighting up.

As reported in The Australian, the reversal of a long-standing trend is adding to concerns about the effectiveness of measures to reduce smoking.

Tobacco treatment specialist Dr Colin Mendelsohn told Ross and John the number of smokers has not fallen in the past three years.

“It’s very disturbing,” he said.

“I think we’ve taken our eye off the ball to be honest, people think, ‘Oh we’ve dealt with tobacco’ but clearly we haven’t.

“I think the problem is actually the older people, the reality is they’re just unable to quit, punishing them with high taxes isn’t working.”

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