However, the Coalition points to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures that show tobacco consumption increased by roughly 30 per cent between 2022 and 2025.

This is ofc a lie, as any words that spill from the dysgenic swill holes these freaks speak from often are. The ABS is speaking of nicotine consumption, including vapes, etc, not what the reader probably thinks when they hear "tobacco". I hope this Jake Revell guy is quoting them directly and not peddling this himself.

While sales of illegal cigarettes and nicotine products have declined dramatically, wastewater analysis shows that overall nicotine consumption is surging.

Pretty sure this is a spelling mistake and they meant legal cigarettes, because it makes no sense. It's also misleading, if my understanding is correct the waste water tests showed total cigarette use is down, but by cross referencing the sales of legal cigarettes with this data it showed illegal use was up. Also I think this is conflating cigarettes and other nicotine products when it says "surging"... but it says nicotine products have declined... Which isn't true? Idk this sentence is a mess.