World No Tobacco Day: A Call to Action for a Tobacco-Free Fiji

In a powerful message delivered on World No Tobacco Day, Fiji’s Minister for Health and Medical Services, Hon. Dr. Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu, shared his personal journey of quitting smoking and urged Fijians to commit to healthier, smoke-free lives.

“It is possible to quit smoking if one is truly committed to embracing a healthy lifestyle,” Dr. Lalabalavu said, encouraging individuals to break free from addiction as he once did.

This year’s World No Tobacco Day, themed “Bright Products. Dark Intentions. Unmasking the Appeal,” focuses on the tobacco industry’s targeted marketing towards youth.

Dr. Lalabalavu warned that deceptive tactics are luring young Fijians into smoking—an issue of growing concern.

Current statistics show that 18% of adults and 14% of adolescents in Fiji have used tobacco.

The economic cost is equally alarming, with tobacco-related diseases costing the country an estimated FJD$319 million annually and claiming over 1,200 lives each year.

In response, the Ministry launched an Investment Case for Tobacco Control in December 2024, in collaboration with partners including the UNDP and WHO.

The case outlines five key cost-effective strategies that could save FJD$32 million in healthcare costs over the next 15 years:

Increasing tobacco taxes

Making public spaces smoke-free

Implementing plain packaging

Banning tobacco advertising

Providing quitting support at the primary healthcare level

Dr. Lalabalavu also highlighted progress in Ovalau, where 11 Tobacco-Free Initiatives are currently active, signaling strong community commitment to healthier living.

The event in Levuka was attended by Tui Levuka, Ratu Etonia Seru, and the vanua of Nabukebuke, who expressed their support for a tobacco-free Fiji.