Profile
Cook Islands Flag
Cigarettes
Traditional Smokeless
HTP
E-cigarettes
Snus
Pouches
NRT
Cook Islands Background
Profile
Cook Islands Flag
Cigarettes
Traditional Smokeless
HTP
E-cigarettes
Snus
Pouches
NRT
Data sourced: 2025.   Page updated: 2025-10-30

In the Cook Islands, smoking is legal and regulated with certain restrictions. Under these regulations, the sale of cigarettes is allowed, however, purchasing them from vending machines or online is not legal. Importing cigarettes for trade is permitted with the appropriate license. Packaging must include health warnings, and the minimum legal age to purchase cigarettes is 18. There are also legal restrictions on smoking in public spaces. Cigarette advertising is completely banned, and the total taxation rate on cigarettes stands at 73%.
As of 2024, the adult current smoking prevalence in the Cook Islands was 26.2%, with 29.7% of males and 23% of females identified as current smokers. There were approximately 3,000 daily smokers in 2021, with an adult daily smoking prevalence of 18.8%—23.3% among males and 14.6% among females. In 2021, cigarette smoking resulted in an estimated 20 deaths in the Cook Islands, including 15 among males and 5 among females. This means smoking accounted for 12.17% of all deaths in the country—15.76% of male deaths and 6.96% of female deaths.

Prevalence

3,000
1
2024
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2020 24.2% 1A
2021 29.4% 1B A
2022 25.5% 1C B
2024 26.2% 1D
References:
  1. WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
  2. WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-cok.pdf?sfvrsn=f8676e7d_3&download=true. Accessed: 10 June 2025.
  3. WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
  4. WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
Comments:
  1. Adults survey: Census, 2021; National, ages 15+
  2. Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2020 20.3% 1A
2021 24.5% 1B A
2022 21.4% 1C B
2024 23% 1D
References:
  1. WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
  2. WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-cok.pdf?sfvrsn=f8676e7d_3&download=true. Accessed: 10 June 2025.
  3. WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
  4. WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
Comments:
  1. Adults survey: Census, 2021; National, ages 15+
  2. Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2020 28% 1A
2021 34.6% 1B A
2022 30.3% 1C B
2024 29.7% 1D
References:
  1. WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
  2. WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-cok.pdf?sfvrsn=f8676e7d_3&download=true. Accessed: 10 June 2025.
  3. WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
  4. WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
Comments:
  1. Adults survey: Census, 2021; National, ages 15+
  2. Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
3,024
2 A
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier 18.9% 3A A
2021 18.8% 3B B
References:
  1. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2017, Country profiles http://www.who.int/tobacco/surveillance/policy/country_profile/en/
  2. WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-cok.pdf?sfvrsn=f8676e7d_3&download=true. Accessed: 10 June 2025.
Comments:
  1. These rates are modelled using all national survey data published since 1990 to estimate the underlying prevalence trends by sex, then applying age-standardization to allow comparison with other countries. They do not necessarily resemble country data from 2015
  2. Adults survey: Census, 2021; National, ages 15+
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier 14.7% 3A A
2021 14.6% 3B B
References:
  1. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2017, Country profiles http://www.who.int/tobacco/surveillance/policy/country_profile/en/
  2. WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-cok.pdf?sfvrsn=f8676e7d_3&download=true. Accessed: 10 June 2025.
Comments:
  1. These rates are modelled using all national survey data published since 1990 to estimate the underlying prevalence trends by sex, then applying age-standardization to allow comparison with other countries. They do not necessarily resemble country data from 2015
  2. Adults survey: Census, 2021; National, ages 15+
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier 22.8% 3A A
2021 23.3% 3B B
References:
  1. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2017, Country profiles http://www.who.int/tobacco/surveillance/policy/country_profile/en/
  2. WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-cok.pdf?sfvrsn=f8676e7d_3&download=true. Accessed: 10 June 2025.
Comments:
  1. These rates are modelled using all national survey data published since 1990 to estimate the underlying prevalence trends by sex, then applying age-standardization to allow comparison with other countries. They do not necessarily resemble country data from 2015
  2. Adults survey: Census, 2021; National, ages 15+
References:
  1. WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
  2. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2017, Country profiles http://www.who.int/tobacco/surveillance/policy/country_profile/en/
  3. WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-cok.pdf?sfvrsn=f8676e7d_3&download=true. Accessed: 10 June 2025.
Comments:
  1. These rates are modelled using all national survey data published since 1990 to estimate the underlying prevalence trends by sex, then applying age-standardization to allow comparison with other countries. They do not necessarily resemble country data from 2015
  2. Adults survey: Census, 2021; National, ages 15+

Smoking-related mortality

References:
  1. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
  2. Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.

Product promotion

References:
  1. WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-cok.pdf?sfvrsn=f8676e7d_3&download=true. Accessed: 10 June 2025.

Regulation

References:
  1. WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-cok.pdf?sfvrsn=f8676e7d_3&download=true. Accessed: 10 June 2025.
Comments:
  1. There are some restrictions.

Availability

References:
  1. WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-cok.pdf?sfvrsn=f8676e7d_3&download=true. Accessed: 10 June 2025.
  2. World Bank. Cigarettes containing tobacco imports by country in 2023. Available at: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/ALL/year/2023/tradeflow/Imports/partner/WLD/product/240220. Accessed: 2 July 2025.
Comments:
  1. There are some restrictions.
  2. An import license is required.

Regulations and restrictions

References:
  1. WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-cok.pdf?sfvrsn=f8676e7d_3&download=true. Accessed: 10 June 2025.

Tax

References:
  1. WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-cok.pdf?sfvrsn=f8676e7d_3&download=true. Accessed: 10 June 2025.
Comments:
  1. Total taxes: 72.83%
The GSTHR database is updated regularly by our team. However, please be aware that the information we provide does not constitute legal advice. We cannot guarantee that the information is up to date or accurate, as the regulatory status of different product categories can change at short notice and with little publicity. If you wish to check the legal status of use or possession of any safer nicotine product in a specific country or region, you should verify the information independently. If you have reason to think that the information supplied on the GSTHR is inaccurate, please contact us with details and any references and we will rectify any errors.