A new era of advocacy on smoking and vaping

Media release: Friday 13 June 2025

Heart Foundation and ACOSH to bolster efforts to stamp out smoking and vaping

Partnership ushers in a new era of advocacy to combat the unwelcome influence of tobacco and vape industries in Australia

The Heart Foundation and the Australian Council on Smoking and Health (ACOSH) will ramp up advocacy and awareness to help people in Australia avoid the deadly and addictive ill-health outcomes of smoking and vaping.

With cardiovascular disease still a leading cause of death in Australia, the partnership brings together two national health leaders to confront the tobacco industry head-on.

Together, the Heart Foundation and ACOSH will ramp up their focus on ending the widespread harm caused by tobacco and preventing a new generation from being hooked on nicotine through e-cigarettes — two of the most preventable drivers of long-term health damage.

Smoking still a leading cause of cardiovascular disease

Despite decades of progress, tobacco smoking continues to be a scourge on public health in Australia. Around 2.4 million people - or 12 percent of the population – smoke.

Other statistics show that:

• Smoking remains the leading single cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD), responsible for 11,400 CVD deaths annually.
• Smoking is deadly. In fact, smokers in Australia are up to three times more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke than non-smokers.
• Second hand smoke increases non-smokers’ risk of heart disease by up to 30 percent.

Vaping a new threat

E-cigarettes, known commonly as ‘vapes’, require users to inhale dangerous aerosol products into their lungs.

Until recent regulatory changes came into effect, it was estimated that nearly 20 percent of people in Australia aged 14 years and older had tried vaping, with the 18 to 24 year demographic being the most likely to use a vape.

Recent research shows that any use of vaping products is associated with a 33% increased risk of having a heart attack when compared to people that have never used one – indicating a grave threat to the future health and wellbeing of younger people.

How will the partnership work?

The Heart Foundation is already a member of ACOSH, however the partnership with the ACOSH team will ensure greater access to each other's people and resources to respond to the tobacco and vape industry’s tactics with greater agility and amplification.