Top Stories from Papua New Guinea
40.1% of the adult population are current smokers
There are approximately 2.8 million current smokers in Papua New Guinea
54.4% of men are current smokers but only 25.1% of women
Country profile
Data sourced:
2025.
Page updated:
2026-08-10
Smoking in Papua New Guinea
Current smoking trends for the overall adult population in Papua New Guinea show a decrease from 2000 (62%) to 2015 (38%), with a projection to decrease further to 28% by 2025. For women there has been a downwards year by year trend in smoking prevalence, from 41% in 2000 to 24% in 2015, and projected to be around 18% by 2025. For men the trend has also been downwards, with 83% being current smokers in 2000, 52% in 2015 and a projection to decrease to around 39% by 2025. The WHO published prevalence trend estimates in tobacco smoking, as shown here, in their 2018 2nd edition report, which show slightly different smoking prevalence to the WHO country profiles. Data for the estimates were obtained from WHO databases. The trend lines are projections, not predictions, of future attainment. A projection indicates a likely endpoint if the country maintains its tobacco control efforts at the same level that it has implemented them to date. Therefore the impact of recent interventions could alter the expected endpoint shown in the projection. While the methods of estimation used in the first and second editions of the WHO report are the same, the volume of data available for the second edition is larger i.e. 200 more national surveys. The results presented are therefore more robust.
7,068
Deaths
7,068 people in Papua New Guinea die from tobacco smoking-related diseases each year.
40.1%
tobacco smoking
In 2024, approximately 40.1% of adults in Papua New Guinea reported using Cigarettes.
Nicotine Vaping Devices
in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea banned e-cigarettes and vaping in 2025, including their importation and sale.
Heated Tobacco Products
in Papua New Guinea
In Papua New Guinea, Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) are regulated as tobacco products and are allowed for sale and use. However, the law requires manufacturers to place health warning on their packaging. The minimum legal age for their sales is 18 years and restrictions also exist on their use in public places.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
in Papua New Guinea
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is banned in Papua New Guinea including the sale and purchase of its products. We have no information whether these products can be imported for personal use. Therefore, we advise travelers to bring a prescription or document of purchase with them.
Snus
in Papua New Guinea
Used in Scandinavia for more than 200 years, snus is providing smokers in Sweden and Norway with an alternative to combustible cigarettes. Find out what it is, and why it is considered a safer nicotine product in our briefing paper.
Pouches
in Papua New Guinea
Nicotine pouches are a relatively new product which can provide users of high-risk tobacco with an alternative that poses fewer risks to their health. Read more about nicotine pouches in our briefing paper
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.