The Northern Territory government has been awarded the Australian Medical Association's Dirty Ashtray Award, ranking it last in the nation for stamping out smoking.
AMA national president Professor Brian Owler says the NT lags behind all other jurisdictions in its failure to stop smoking and protect non-smokers.
He says it seems reducing smoking and its harms in the territory is not a priority.
Visitors to the NT notice only too well that smoking is still permitted in many locations, including pubs, clubs and dining areas, Prof Owler says.
"But, more importantly, the Northern Territory government has dropped the butt when it comes to education programs, especially those with a special focus on indigenous smoking and other high-risk communities and groups," he said in a statement on Friday.
The AMA said the NT needed to ban smoking at all pubs, clubs and dining areas and eliminate exemptions for high roller rooms at casinos.
On the plus side, the NT was the first jurisdiction to implement a comprehensive prison smoking ban.
For the past 22 years, the AMA has ranked states, territories and the federal government on efforts to reduce smoking and protect non-smokers.
Victoria was runner-up for the Dirty Ashtray Award.
The AMA said it needed to take much more action, including banning smoking in all alfresco drinking areas and licensed premises, not just dining areas.
The federal government gained the achievement award for its strong and continuing commitment to tobacco control including plain packaging and defending against tobacco industry opposition in international disputes.
As well, the commonwealth upped tobacco excise at the recent budget and has also reduced the duty free cigarette allowance.
"All sides of politics deserve credit for their continuing strong tobacco policies," he said.
