The Australian Government is developing its own smoke-free electronic cigarette app for the first time.
It is being developed to give smokers access to more health-conscious information about the products available.
The app will also be able track and monitor how much tobacco is in your smoke and will offer real-time information about your health, including a link to a quit line.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said the app would “give smokers more information about where their products are produced, how they’re marketed and where they can be purchased”.
“We need to get smokers smoking less but we need to also get them to understand the risks of smoking and get them up to speed on the best products available for them,” Mr Hunt said.
“That’s why we’re putting together the best app that is already in place.”
Health warnings, warnings for the young, tobacco-free ‘smoke-free’ era Mr Hunt also announced plans to “get smokers smoking fewer cigarettes”.
The Health Minister said smoking rates in Australia had “skyrocketed” over the past decade.
“There’s been a massive rise in smoking rates over the last five years,” he said.
“In our country, it’s been up nearly 100 per cent.”
The Government has taken action on this and we have a range of measures that are working to reduce the number of smokers in this country.
“We’re not going to be the smoking capital of the world.”
But the Government has been criticised for making changes to tobacco products that have caused harm to young people.
The new apps will be rolled out over the next few weeks.
Smoke Free Australia chief executive Mark Williams said the Government was “very much committed to reducing the number and the harm of tobacco use”.
“[But] it’s going to take a little bit longer than we want to.”
“There are some really tough decisions ahead.
We’ve got to have a smoke- free future. It’s going