Quitting smoking is hard, and many people aren’t aware of the support that’s available or how much it helps. That’s where our researchers from the Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer (CBRC) come in.
In July 2025, Australians began receiving a little extra in their tobacco packs – Health Promotion Inserts with positive messages and practical tips to help them quit smoking.
Backed by research from our Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer (CBRC), these small cards mark another important step forward in bringing down tobacco-related deaths.
Over two years, the research team worked closely with people who smoke to test which messages were most helpful, supportive and motivating. Through focus groups and large-scale message testing studies, they identified the 30 most effective messages across 10 key topics – from managing cravings to accessing free quit support.
These vital insights were then used by the Australian Government to create the new pack inserts, refining the final 10 messages through additional testing.
Every tobacco pack sold in Australia now includes these evidence-based inserts – providing encouragement and resources to help people quit every time they open a pack.
Smoking is still Australia’s leading cause of preventable death. By supporting more people to quit, these inserts can help lower smoking rates and potentially save thousands of lives in the years ahead.
Dr. Emily Brennan
We’re extremely proud of the work done by our CBRC researchers who have been, once again, instrumental in driving meaningful policy change and reducing the harmful impact of tobacco in our community.
“Thanks to the generous support of our donors who provided the funding for this important research, we can be confident that these new Health Promotion Inserts are delivering effective evidence-based messages to encourage and support more people to try to quit,” says Dr Emily Brennan, who led the research at CBRC.