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

In Palau, the sales of cigarettes are legal and smoking is allowed. They can also be imported for trade, and health warnings on packaging are not required. However, there are still some restrictions in place. It is not legal to buy cigarettes online or from vending machines. There is a minimum age of 21 years for purchase and there are legal restrictions on smoking in public places. The total taxation rate on cigarettes is 0.74. Prevalence data from 2024 indicate that 17.7% of adults were current smokers, including 7.7% of females and 26.2% of males. Smoking-related mortality data from 2021 show 26 deaths attributable to tobacco smoking, including 6 female deaths and 20 male deaths. This shows that tobacco smoking accounted for 13.5% of all deaths in the country in 2021, with 7.17% female deaths and 18.29% male deaths.

Prevalence

3,000
1
2024
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 20.4% 1A A
2019 18.6% 1B
2020 18.1% 1C
2022 17% 1D B
2024 17.7% 1E
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-plw.pdf?sfvrsn=5b2c41ba_3&download=true. Accessed: 11 June 2025.
  2. WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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: Palau Hybrid Survey, 2016; National, ages 18-97
  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
2016 9.7% 1A A
2019 8.7% 1B
2020 8.1% 1C
2022 7.3% 1D B
2024 7.7% 1E
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-plw.pdf?sfvrsn=5b2c41ba_3&download=true. Accessed: 11 June 2025.
  2. WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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: Palau Hybrid Survey, 2016; National, ages 18-97
  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
2016 30.9% 1A A
2019 28.5% 1B
2020 28% 1C
2022 26.3% 1D B
2024 26.2% 1E
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-plw.pdf?sfvrsn=5b2c41ba_3&download=true. Accessed: 11 June 2025.
  2. WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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: Palau Hybrid Survey, 2016; National, ages 18-97
  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
2017 or earlier 13.3% 2A A
2016 13.7% 2B A
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-plw.pdf?sfvrsn=5b2c41ba_3&download=true. Accessed: 11 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: Palau Hybrid Survey, 2016; National, ages 18-97
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier 6.2% 2A A
2016 5.3% 2B A
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-plw.pdf?sfvrsn=5b2c41ba_3&download=true. Accessed: 11 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: Palau Hybrid Survey, 2016; National, ages 18-97
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier 19.6% 2A A
2016 22% 2B A
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-plw.pdf?sfvrsn=5b2c41ba_3&download=true. Accessed: 11 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: Palau Hybrid Survey, 2016; National, ages 18-97
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. 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-plw.pdf?sfvrsn=5b2c41ba_3&download=true. Accessed: 11 June 2025.
Comments:
  1. Adults survey: Palau Hybrid Survey, 2016; National, ages 18-97

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-plw.pdf?sfvrsn=5b2c41ba_3&download=true. Accessed: 11 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-plw.pdf?sfvrsn=5b2c41ba_3&download=true. Accessed: 11 June 2025.
Comments:
  1. There are certain restrictions to consider.

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-plw.pdf?sfvrsn=5b2c41ba_3&download=true. Accessed: 11 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 certain restrictions to consider.
  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-plw.pdf?sfvrsn=5b2c41ba_3&download=true. Accessed: 11 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-plw.pdf?sfvrsn=5b2c41ba_3&download=true. Accessed: 11 June 2025.
Comments:
  1. Total taxes: 74.07%
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.