Comprehensive review of Pacific Island countries' reports on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (2007-2023): Progress, challenges and opportunities

Abstract

Objective: Consistent with the role of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the aims of this study were to review the FCTC progress reports submitted by the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) and assess regional FCTC progress. Data source and extraction: We searched FCTC: (1) Global Progress Reports for any information related to PICs; and (2) country-specific reports for all PICs. All reports submitted by PICs from 2007 to 2023 were reviewed. Information such as smoking prevalence for adult and young populations by sex/gender and age, objectives, targets, legislation, regulation and policies for tobacco control were extracted. Data synthesis: Ten global progress and 69 country-specific reports from 14 PICs were reviewed. In the most recent reports, daily smoking prevalence among males ranged from 15.8% in Niue to 64.8% in Kiribati, while among females, it ranged from 1.6% in Vanuatu to 31.8% in Kiribati. Current smoking prevalence among boys and girls ranged from 10% in Marshall Islands to 43% in the Federated States of Micronesia and from 1.5% in Marshall Islands to 28.8% in Palau, respectively. Price and tax measures, along with bans on tobacco sales to and by minors, were the most reported tobacco control strategies. Conclusions: While the PICs have ratified the FCTC and made strides to fight tobacco use and its consequences, they still face significant challenges to fully implement the FCTC. Building local and regional capacity and capability to implement and monitor progress with tobacco control policies is essential to reducing tobacco-related death and disease in the PICs.