Drug and Alcohol counsellors in community health settings reaching smokers from a low socio-economic community.

Australia experienced a significant decrease in smoking prevalence in the 1980s and 1990s, from 35 to 23%, which continued into the 21st century, as did other developed countries. Despite this decrease, there are still significantly higher rates of smoking among those with less formal education, those in blue collar occupations and the unemployed. Smokers from disadvantaged communities are just as likely as smokers from high socioeconomic status communities to try aids such as Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) and prescribed medications and can succeed in quitting. However, they are more vulnerable to relapsing and need to be encouraged to access existing services and treatments across diverse settings.