7am Firebombs and gang wars: The bloody fallout of Australia’s tobacco crackdown
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May 6, 2025 Martin McKenzie-Murray, Associate Editor for The Saturday Paper, delves into the dark underbelly of Australia’s tobacco crackdown. He reveals how rising taxes have fueled a violent black market, exemplified by the tragic death of Katie Tangey, an innocent caught in gang crossfire. The conversation highlights the unintended consequences of high tobacco prices and the surge in illegal cigarette sales. Vaping's rise further complicates the landscape, raising questions about the true efficacy of current public health strategies.
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Katie Tangey's Tragic Death
- Katie Tangey was a 27-year-old woman killed in a Melbourne house fire in January.
- Police say she was an innocent bystander and the firebombing was a case of mistaken address.
Taxes Fuel Illicit Tobacco Market
- Australia's heavy tobacco taxes have inflated cigarette prices to prohibitively high levels.
- This has pushed smokers who can't quit into a lucrative and violent black market for illicit tobacco.
Vaping Drives Smoking Decline
- Sharp decline in smoking rates since 2019 is linked more to vaping than to increased cigarette taxes.
- Data shows no meaningful difference in smoking rate decline before and during heavy tax increases between 2000 and 2020.