Niue recognized for world-leading efforts to reduce tobacco use

Niue has the Pacific’s lowest rate of adult tobacco use (11.6% daily use), and has been an early adopter of tobacco prevention and cessation programmes, as well as anti-tobacco public health campaigns.

May 31st marks World No Tobacco Day, a day when WHO and global partners highlight the deadly health risks posed by tobacco - and the efforts of those working to combat them. This year, in recognition of their outstanding work in tobacco control, Niue’s Ministry of Social Services is one of five institutions to receive a WHO 2019 World No Tobacco Day Award.

Strongest legislation in the Pacific

Niue has the lowest tobacco use and strongest tobacco control legislation in the Pacific.  Adopted in 2018, the legislation proactively protects public policy from tobacco industry interference (the first such legislation in the Pacific), raises the minimum purchase age to 21, and prohibits the commercial growing and manufacturing of tobacco – and again, it is the only Pacific island to explicitly prohibit this activity.

WHO’s tobacco control expert in the Pacific, Dr Ada Moadsiri, said: “The development and enactment of Niue’s Tobacco Control Act of 2018 is a reflection of the passion and determination of the government and community groups to protect lives and the environment from the scourge of tobacco.”

Complementing these efforts, the Ministry of Social Services conducts tobacco education and awareness campaigns annually for World No Tobacco Day. The Ministry also trains village health workers to provide cessation advice to support those wanting to quit smoking.

“I’m delighted to see the strong action our awardees are taking to control tobacco – from higher taxes to quit programmes to smoke-free areas,” said Dr Takeshi Kasai, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, praising the awardees. “The results of their activities are even more encouraging: smoking rates are decreasing in many of these places, as are diseases caused by tobacco such as lung cancer.”

The full list of this year’s awardees in WHO’s Western Pacific Region includes:

• the Niue Ministry of Social Services;
• the Xi’an Municipal People’s Government in China;
• the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region;
• the Guam Non-Communicable Disease Consortium Tobacco Control Action Team;
• the Iloilo City Government in the Philippines.