Fruit and veg left off the plate as WA’s smoking rates increase for the first time in 30 years

Western Australia is getting heavier, smoking more and eating less fruit and veg, according to statistics that have alarmed doctors.

The Health Department’s latest annual report estimated that 76 per cent of WA adults are “above a healthy weight”, while only five per cent meet the recommended daily intake of five serves of vegetables - down from eight per cent in 2022-23.

Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti blamed lifestyle factors, when asked on Monday.

“It sometimes is a bit of a time factor,” she said.

“Having the time and the ability to shop and then got home and cook for kids. As busy parents, everyone knows how hard it is juggling work, kids, school, everything.”

Cost of living pressures have done little to stop more people taking up bad habits, with smoking rates increasing for the first time since 1995 - up from 10 per cent in 2022-23 to 12 per cent in 2025.

There were no figures included in the 2024 annual report.

While, 12 per cent of West Australian adults also admitted using illicit drugs and 35 per cent drank alcohol at harmful levels.

The number of people who have tried an e-cigarette almost doubled to 24 per cent, despite a nationwide crackdown on illegal vape sales and public health warnings that a single vape is equal to a pack of 20 tobacco cigarettes.

The State Opposition has seized on the figures, to question the value of Roger Cook’s cabinet reshuffle that created a new Minister for Preventative Health with Sabine Winton sworn-in to the role in March.

“What has the new Minister been doing? Quite clearly, the Cook Government has dropped the ball,” Shadow Health Minister Libby Mettam said.

“On every measure it is getting worse, not better, from a Premier who said he wanted WA to be the healthiest state in the nation.

“He should stop blaming the elderly, the Federal Government, the flu season, a COVID hangover or anything else for our health crisis and start insisting his Minister for Preventative Health do her job.”

The Australian Medical Association, though, said a Minister focussed on preventative health is a positive step that needs more time to work.

But AMA WA President Kyle Hoath warned lifestyle factors are contributing to WA’s hospital crisis.

“We hear a lot about how people are presenting sicker and this has been a difficult winter,” he said.

“I’m probably being a bit cheeky, drawing an association with ramping numbers . . . but we know that smoking and vaping are big causes of struggling to recover from respiratory illnesses.”

A smoker herself, Ms Winton vowed the Government is cracking down on the black market.

“As someone that has struggled with addiction to nicotine, I understand and relate to the challenges that other people face with addiction,” she said.

“A strong focus of mine has been on preventing young people from taking up nicotine products like vapes or cigarettes in the first place through things like the Clear the Air and Make Smoking History campaigns.

“Any increase in the number of people taking up e-cigarettes is a concern. However, authorities are working collaboratively to crack down on the illegal tobacco market.

“Since 1 January 2024, the WA Department of Health has conducted more than 1,600 inspections and seized more than 190,000 vapes, 460,000 cigarettes, and over 85kg of loose tobacco.”

Dr Hoath has urged the Cook Government to move faster on its promise to increase preventative health spending to five per cent of the total health budget by 2029.

“The efforts now don’t impact our ramping and wait list today, but they will in the future,” he said.

“We know that a dollar spent on prevention is worth many hundreds or thousands more at the other end.

“Without trying to stay ahead, then we’re just handing a bigger problem to future generations.”

Cancer Council WA Make Smoking History Manager Libby Jardine said another year of data is needed to confirm whether smoking trends have turned the wrong way.

She urged Governments to target supply, in the meantime.

“Tobacco is often more available than bread and milk, and fresh fruit and vegetables,” she said.

“We know from research that the majority of West Australian adults think that tobacco should be less available or not available at all.”

Ms Jardine warned more “effective” enforcement is needed, to back up tougher retail laws for e-cigarettes.

“We are worried that the emergence of vaping has sort of re normalized the use of nicotine,” she said.

“We’re certainly concerned that the both the tobacco and e -cigarette industries continue to market e-cigarettes for young people, and there’s people out there that are still selling to young people.

“So we need to strengthen legislative enforcement measures and penalties to effectively deter the unlawful sale.

“We also really need to prohibit advertising promotion and sponsorship to ensure that these products can’t be promoted, regardless of whether they contain nicotine.”