RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Predicting the future prevalence of cigarette smoking in Australia: how low can we go and by when? JF Tobacco Control JO Tob Control FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd SP 183 OP 189 DO 10.1136/tc.2008.027615 VO 18 IS 3 A1 Gartner, C E A1 Barendregt, J J A1 Hall, W D YR 2009 UL http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/18/3/183.abstract AB Background: In Australia, smoking prevalence has declined in men since the 1950s and in women since the 1980s. Future smoking prevalence in Australia is predicted from estimates of previous and current age-specific and sex-specific cessation rates and smoking uptake in young people derived from national survey data on the prevalence of smoking between 1980 and 2007.Methods: A dynamic forecasting model was used to estimate future smoking prevalence in the Australian population based on a continuation of these current trends in smoking uptake and cessation.Results: The results suggest that Australia’s smoking prevalence will continue to fall while current rates of initiation and cessation are maintained. But a continuation of current smoking cessation and initiation patterns will see around 14% of adults still smoking in 2020.Conclusions: Smoking cessation rates will need to double for Australian smoking prevalence to reach a policy target of 10% by 2020.