There are concerns young smokers incorrectly believe roll-your-own cigarettes are less harmful than traditional factory made cigarettes.
New research by Cancer Council Victoria and Quit Victoria shows roll-your own tobacco use has sky rocketed in recent years, particularly among younger smokers.
The Victorian Smoking and Health Survey of 4000 adult smokers found 43 per cent were aged 18-29. Of these young smokers nearly half (43 per cent) roll their own cigarettes - this is up from 29 per cent in 2001.
The survey also revealed almost one in two Victorian smokers aged 18-29 think roll-your-own cigarettes are less harmful.
Quit Victoria Director Dr Sarah White says the idea that roll your own is somehow "organic" or safer is simply not true. She says roll-your-own cigarettes are just as harmful as factory made cigarettes.
"It's really alarming that close to half of roll-your-own tobacco users believe roll-your-own tobacco is less harmful than traditional cigarettes. There is a perception among smokers that these products are more 'natural' and don't contain additives - but this couldn't be further from the truth," Dr White said."
"Not only do tobacco companies use similar additives in loose tobacco as they do in cigarettes, these additives tend to be added in even higher amounts," warned Dr White.
Dr White says smoking any form of tobacco delivers nicotine, tar and thousands of other disease-causing substances straight to the lungs and into the bloodstream, "which is incredibly harmful to health."
The survey results has led to calls for smokers to be better educated on the true health effects of roll-your-own tobacco.
"Big Tobacco has cleverly positioned its loose tobacco products as more 'natural' or 'organic' than traditional cigarettes, making them more appealing to younger and more health-conscious smokers," said VicHealth CEO Jerril Rechter.
