<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/western-australia" rel="" target="" title="Western Australia"><span>Western Australia</span></a><span>'s smoking rates have increased for the first time in 30 years.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The new figures are igniting fresh pressure on Premier Roger Cook's government to introduce new laws to crack down on the illegal tobacco trade.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The number of West Australians picking up a cigarette spiked last financial year for the first time in three decades - up from 10 per cent in 2022/23 to 12 per cent.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/melbourne-city-stabbing-court-appearance/3a87004b-768c-4a25-9665-95848693236b"><strong><span>Melbourne CBD stabbing accused laughs into camera as bid for freedom withdrawn</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Experimenting with vapes is also on the rise.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Currently in Western Australia tobacco is more available than milk, bread, fresh fruit and veggies and it's something we need to urgently address," Libby Jardine from WA Cancer Council said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Cook blames an increasing population for the increase in smoking rates, saying it's down to "people coming to Western Australia from overseas, in record numbers".</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/western-australia-smoking-increase-first-time-30-years-pressure-state-government-illegal-tobacco/603cc755-e856-42c9-9d3d-60286ba9796a" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But the opposition blames him.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"These are issues which affects everyday health of West Australians, making it harder to obtain these illegal substances has to be a priority for this government but it hasn't been," Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Illegal tobacco laws are yet to be introduced to parliament but health advocates are pushing for the Cook government to pull the trigger.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We're seeing both South Australia and Queensland lead the way in this, so really the time for WA to act was yesterday," Jardine said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>WA's Health Department has conducted more than 1600 inspections on Perth's underground vape and tobacco market.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>More than 190,000 vapes have been seized so far this year as well as 460,000 cigarettes and 80,000 kilograms of loose tobacco.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Cook was repeatedly questioned today on whether the smoking habits of WA Preventative Health Minister Sabina Winton set a bad example.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The premier deflected, criticising the opposition for getting personal, but the Liberal party never made a public comment.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"She knows from personal experience, just how addictive some of these substances are and how difficult it is the kick the habit," Cook said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The sentiment was echoed by Winton.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"[As] someone that has struggled with addiction to nicotine, I understand and relate to the challenges that other people face with addiction," she told 9News.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f"><em><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in 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