More than two-thirds of the 2500 inhabitants to the study believed smokers should not be permitted smoking breaks at work but if they were, 93.1 percent believe nonsmokers should get them as well. Of the 29.3 percent of inhabitants who smoked, the poll also found that 30 percent of those were spending $50-$100 on cigs weekly. An additional 14.1 per cent spent more than $100 on their nicotine addiction each week. Last month, a movement calling for a prohibition on cigarettes sales to anyone born after 1999 was passed in Tasmania’s Upper House.

The Adelaidenow study found 67.7 percent of inhabitants would support the same suggestion in South Australia.

Kathryn Barnsley, who notified parliamentary leaders in Tasmania on smoking control, declared that much more must be done for to prevent kids starting smoking habit.

“Smoking tobacco is a pediatric illness,” Ms Barnsley added.

“It is taken up by kids, they become nicotine addicted and find it hard to quit smoking when they are adults.” She argued that tobacco use should be phased out by 2020 and heavily addicted smokers given opportunity to tobacco products under a licensing scheme.

Cancer Council SA chief executive Professor Brenda Wilson explained that most smokers were nicotine addicted in their teenager years.

“Cancer Council SA will continue to support the measures that are not only aimed at preventing young people taking up the smoking habit but which also assist people in quitting, such as a full prohibition on smoking in outdoor places and dining settings.”

Opposition health spokesman Martin Hamilton-Smith reported that prohibiting smoking tobacco would not work.