This year’s World No Tobacco day celebration marked a significant milestone with the declaration of Matainasau Village’s tobacco-free community hall by the Assistant Minister of Health, Hon. Alex O’Connor.
“Fiji’s non-communicable disease (NCDs) 2011 STEPS survey revealed the highest numbers of current smokers are younger adults between the ages of 25 to 34 years,” noted Assistant Minister for Health and Medical Services, Alex O’Connor during the World No Tobacco Day celebration at Matainasau Village, Muaira Tikina in Naitasiri, Fiji on 31 May 2017.
“Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of NCDs worldwide,” Mr O’Connor said. WHO continues to support the Ministry of Health and Medical Services to advance Fiji’s tobacco control efforts, which includes increasing taxes on tobacco products, and of course expanding smoke-free public places, such as community halls. Matainasau Village joins a growing list of other municipalities in Fiji which are expanding tobacco free settings in order to protect people from the dangers of second-hand smoke.
