BY JOY OFASIA
Tobacco kills more than 8 million people every year, including those who have never smoked but are exposed to second-hand smoke.
This was the warning message shared by Monica Fong, the Solomon Islands World Health Organization (WHO) In-Charge Officer, during a World No Tobacco Day event held on Friday 30th May at the Multi-purpose youth and sports facility at China Town in Honiara.
“Globally, tobacco kills over 8 million people every year, including those who have never smoked who are exposed to second-hand smoke,” Fong told the crowd gathered at the awareness event.
World No Tobacco Day is observed globally each year to raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use and to push for stronger policies to reduce tobacco consumption.
She said this year’s World No Tobacco Day focused on protecting children and youth from being targeted by the tobacco and nicotine industry, which uses sweet flavors, flashy packaging, and social media trends to hook the younger generation.
“In the Western Pacific region alone, around 6 million adolescents used tobacco in 2022, and we lose 3 million lives to tobacco each year,” she said. “The Solomon Islands is a proud member of this region. We cannot let our youth become part of that statistic.”
Fong warned that tobacco companies are not just selling products—they’re selling addiction and death, often disguised in attractive branding.
“Tobacco kills up to half of its users. It causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs),” she said. “Our health system is already fragile, and these preventable diseases only make it worse.”
In the Solomon Islands, NCDs such as cancer and heart disease account for over 70% of all deaths—and tobacco is one of the biggest culprits. Fong pointed out that the cost of tobacco is not just counted in lives lost, but in economic damage as well.
“Tobacco drains around $1.4 trillion from the global economy each year,” she said.
She also spoke about the environmental toll, noting that tobacco production and waste contribute to pollution and deforestation.
“Tobacco pollutes our air, trashes our oceans with plastic waste, and destroys forests. In the Western Pacific alone, over 1.2 million tonnes of tobacco-related plastic end up as waste every year,” she said.
Fong ended her speech with a call to action.
“Let us stand together—the government, schools, churches, communities, the youth, and our organizations—to unmask the lies, protect our people, and build a healthier, tobacco-free Solomon Islands.”
