Australia's health department on Monday unveils its most hard-hitting campaign against tobacco use with a new advertising campaign graphically links smoking with lung cancer hit the airwaves and TV screens as the Gillard Government continues its world-leading action to combat tobacco use.

The $61 million campaign's message is a simple one: every cigarette you smoke brings cancer closer.

"Smoking kills. It's as simple as that," the Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon, said today in launching Australia's largest ever National Tobacco Campaign.

"This campaign will emphasise the link between a smoker's cough-an everyday occurrence that is familiar to most smokers-and lung cancer. The campaign reminds smokers that a cough is the most common symptom of lung cancer.

"The link between smoking and lung cancer is well-established. In Australia, smoking causes 84 per cent of new lung cancers in men and 77 per cent in women, so the message is plain: stop smoking to reduce your risk of lung cancer," Ms Roxon said.

"The campaign will include national advertising across television, print, online, outdoor and radio with a simple call to action: smokers-attempt to quit today.

This campaign, alongside the Government's plain packaging plans, increase in tobacco excise and subsidised nicotine patches shows the Gillard Government's determination to do all it can to help those Australians who are ready to quit smoking.

Smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable death and disease in Australia, killing 15,000 Australians and costing the economy $31.5 billion each year.