Smokeless tobacco use in Australia

Abstract

There has been little research published on the use of smokeless tobacco (SLT) in Australia. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of SLT use and the potential for harm reduction in current SLT users and smokers. We undertook secondary analysis of data from a national household survey of drug use and surveyed 108 Australian SLT users about their patterns of SLT use and tobacco smoking. The low prevalence of SLT use in the past year in Australia (0.57%; 95% confidence interval 0.48–0.66) might reflect the difficulty in importing these products. Prevalence of recent use was highest among males aged 18–29 who were current weekly smokers. US style oral snuffs were the most popular SLT products in Australia. Most of those surveyed were introduced to SLT by a personal contact and about half had used SLT to quit smoking. Australians who import SLT pay per can AU$21.30 on average and face substantial delays before receiving the product. Cost and poor access present a substantial barrier to SLT use as a tobacco harm reduction measure for Australian smokers. Permitting low nitrosamine varieties of SLT to be sold in Australia might reduce harm in current SLT users and provide a viable alternative to cigarettes for some current smokers.