Solomon Islands Background
Data sourced: 2022.   Page updated: 2025-02-11

In the Solomon Islands, tobacco smoking remains a significant public health concern. As of 2022, the adult smoking prevalence was estimated to be 37.6%, with a gender-specific prevalence of 55.3% among males and 19.6% among females. This represents a slight decrease in overall prevalence from 38% in 2020. The total number of smokers aged 15 years and older was approximately 157,668 in 2022, showing an increase from 150,965 in 2020. For reference, the adult daily smoking prevalence in 2017 was 29.7%, with a prevalence of 43.4% among males and 15.3% among females.
Smoking-related mortality is also a critical public health issue. In 2021, 728 deaths were attributed to smoking. Of these, 535 deaths were among males and 192 among females. This indicates that the percentage of all deaths attributable to smoking was 15.97%, with a higher proportion among males (20.22%) compared to females (10.08%). These statistics underscore the ongoing challenge posed by tobacco smoking in the Solomon Islands, necessitating targeted public health interventions and regulatory measures to curb smoking rates and reduce associated health impacts.

Prevalence

Year Value Reference/Comment
2019 146.5 thousand 1A
2020 151.0 thousand 1B
2022 157.7 thousand 1C A
References:
  1. 1. 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. 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  2. 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. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  3. 1. 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 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
Comments:
  1. Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%). World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
Year Value Reference/Comment
2019 37.9% 2A
2020 38% 2B
2022 37.6% 2C A
References:
  1. 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.
  2. 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
  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
Comments:
  1. Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
Year Value Reference/Comment
2019 19.9% 2A
2020 19.8% 2B
2022 19.6% 2C A
References:
  1. 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.
  2. 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
  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
Comments:
  1. Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
Year Value Reference/Comment
2019 55.9% 2A
2020 55.9% 2B
2022 55.3% 2C A
References:
  1. 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.
  2. 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
  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
Comments:
  1. Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
104.8 thousand
3 C
29.7%
3 C
15.3%
3 C
43.4%
3 C
References:
  1. 1. 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 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  2. 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
  3. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2017, Country profiles http://www.who.int/tobacco/surveillance/policy/country_profile/en/
Comments:
  1. Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%). World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  2. Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
  3. Age range varies from majority of WHO prevalence estimates. Data is drawn from the STEPS survey 2005 - 6. Age range 15 - 64.

Smoking-related mortality

Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 798 1A
2021 728 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. 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.
Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 280 1A
2021 192 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. 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.
Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 518 1A
2021 535 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. 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.
Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 17.93% 1A
2021 15.97% 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. 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.
Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 12.8% 1A
2021 10.08% 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. 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.
Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 20.7% 1A
2021 20.22% 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. 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.
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.
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.