Best of 2025: The tobacco tax causing carnage in our streets

A tax on tobacco seemed like a great idea to deter smokers and raise revenue.

But, as the price of cigarettes soared, major criminal organisations saw an opening, and began to pump cheap, illegal cigarettes into Australia.

And violence came along with it as warring gangs fought for control of the trade in our major cities.

Today, with your Morning Edition team on a summer break, we return to an episode with senior economics correspondent Shane Wright on the tobacco tax problem.

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