Health Minister Mark Butler has stated organised crime had recently taken a “stranglehold” over the illicit tobacco market and that the tobacco black market has “exploded” into the biggest threat to public health in Australia. AdvertisementThe above chart from independent economist Chris Richardson shows how tobacco tax revenue “snapped” five years ago. “And we’ve continued to raise tobacco taxes in the five years since then—they’ve risen a further 49% across a period in which overall prices rose by ‘only’ 21%”. The decline in tobacco tax revenue has been precipitous. Tobacco taxes must rank as one of Australia’s biggest policy failures:AdvertisementThe health of Australians has worsened by making smoking cheaper than before.