Environmental costs of tobacco

The environmental costs of tobacco production and consumption are often overshadowed by the enormous health harms of smoking; however along with damaging people’s health, the tobacco industry has a harmful impact on the planet’s natural resources and vulnerable ecosystems.

Environmental costs of tobacco

In Australia, the health effects of smoking have long been at the forefront of public health discussions and campaigns. 

However there are many, often lesser-known, impacts of tobacco production. 

The environmental costs of tobacco production and consumption are largely overlooked, with the tobacco industry causing significant harm to the planet’s natural resources and vulnerable ecosystems [1]. 

In most instances, tobacco production is more harmful to the environment than everyday commodities, such as food crops [2]. 

What’s more, there are inequities in tobacco’s environmental footprint, with low- and middle-income countries bearing the largest burden[3]. 

From tobacco cultivation to curing, to manufacturing, distribution, consumption and litter, the environmental impact of the tobacco industry is extensive. 

E-cigarettes also pose a risk to the environment. 

Smoking and the environment

Every cigarette smoked has an environmental cost. 

When examining the tobacco supply chain in its entirety, tobacco use leaves a substantial footprint on the environment [4]. 

Tobacco’s environmental footprint is compounded by all of the components that make up cigarettes and packs, such as cigarette papers, filters and packaging, which all leave their mark on the environment. 

With 6 trillion cigarettes manufactured annually [5], the enormity of tobacco’s impact cannot be ignored. 

Supporting people who smoke to quit, and deterring people from taking up smoking in the first place, is vital for reducing the impact of smoking on our environment.

Last updated June 2024