Smoking in Tokelau is prevalent, with ethnic Tokelauans having the highest smoking prevalence of all Pacific ethnicities.[1] In the 2011 Tokelau Census, 47.8% of people aged over 15 were found to be regular cigarette smokers.
New Zealand has provided support to Tokelau in the form of drafting tobacco control legislation.[2] Furthermore, conversations carried out by Ashton Kelly of the University of Otago in late 2014/early 2015 indicate that there is great public support for increased tobacco control.[2] "Tokelau Health" aims to draw inspiration from New Zealand's "smokefree" campaigns and legislation.[2]
Tobacco regulation is expected to be, compared to other nations, easier to carry out.[2] As of 2014, in Tokelau there are only three stores that sell tobacco, and there is no known production of tobacco on the island.[2] Furthermore, with the only way to import goods into Tokelau being a single boat service from Apia, it would be feasible to prevent smuggling.[2]
Atafu has the highest proportion of people who smoke cigarettes regularly, with 51.5% of usual residents present in Tokelau on census night in 2011 being regular smokers.
Fakaofo has the lowest proportion of regular smokers (43.9%) and, compared to Atafu and Nukunonu, Fakaofo has the highest percentage of ex-smokers, with 8.6% of the population having given up smoking cigarettes regularly.
At the time of the 2011 Tokelau Census 23.1% of Tokelau's 15- to 19-year-olds smoked cigarettes regularly. This figure has dropped markedly since 2006, when 40.4% of 15- to 19-year-olds smoked regularly.
Also at the time of the 2011 Tokelau Census, nearly 70% of Tokelau's people aged 20 to 29 years smoked cigarettes regularly (69.9%). This is much higher than the national rate (47.8%).
The next-highest proportion of regular smokers was for the 30- to 39-year-olds (56.8%). The older age groups were the least likely to be regular smokers, with 19.0% of those aged over 70 being smokers in 2011.
In 2009, 56 Tokelauans called Quitline, a telephone service which helps smokers end their addiction to cigarettes. The same number of Tokelauans called Quitline in 2008.[1]