There’s been a lot of news around about smoking lately - and not just about it being hazardous for our health. The rising cost of cigarettes in Australia has led to a thriving black market and an explosion of crime in what’s become known as the tobacco wars. In this Squiz Shortcut, we’ll take a look at what’s happening with the tobacco industry in Australia, how vaping’s become a big part of the problem, and what’s being done to bring things under control… Squiz recommends: Listening: An episode of the Life & Crimes with Andrew Rule podcast called The Tobacco Wars. Andrew brings years of crime reporting experience to this story and he tells it in his engaging signature style. Reading: An article published by the ABC called Fake Cigarettes, Firebombs and a Flourishing Black Market which gives a detailed look into the numbers and the cost of illegal tobacco to the government and businesses. Want the email version? Sign up for the Shortcuts newsletter here.