The fruity cigarettes are mostly imported from Asia and Europe.

New South Wales Assistant Health Minister Verity Firth said the cigarettes appeal to children and teenagers because they are marketed to look and taste like confectionery.

He told the Australian Broadcasting Corp: "They're often called peach something or strawberry something ... but, most disturbingly, they glow in the dark under disco lights, so it's an incredibly targeted marking agent toward a young demographic and that's the reason we are banning their sale."

The ban is to go into effect in mid-January.