The Caribbean has lowered its tobacco consumption rates
Key Points(5)
- As a subregion of the Americas, the Caribbean has seen a marked decrease in tobacco consumption prevalence.
- According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), smoking rates have gone from 28% in 2000 to 16.3% in 2020, putting the region at the second lowest prevalence in the world.
- It is a testament to the effectiveness of regional crackdowns on smoking, from the <a href="https://www.caribbeannationalweekly.com/news/caribbean-news/st-lucian-government-warns-of-harsh-penalties-for-flouting-legislation-restricting-smoking-in-public-places/">St.
- Lucian government</a>'s harsh public smoking penalties to the newly enforced tobacco restrictions in the British Virgin Islands.
- However, there are some gender-based perspectives to consider.
As a subregion of the Americas, the Caribbean has seen a marked decrease in tobacco consumption prevalence. According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), smoking rates have gone from 28% in 2000 to 16.3% in 2020, putting the region at the second lowest prevalence in the world.
It is a testament to the effectiveness of regional crackdowns on smoking, from the St. Lucian government's harsh public smoking penalties to the newly enforced tobacco restrictions in the British Virgin Islands. However, there are some gender-based perspectives to consider.
PAHO's 2022 Report on Tobacco Control for the region notes that, in the Americas, 21.3% of men smoke compared to 11.3% of women. This is an improvement from 2018, when Caribbean women were ranked among the second-highest female smokers in the world. However, to achieve a long-term lowering of tobacco consumption, regional groups and organizations have engaged in various efforts to discourage or even ban smoking in the Caribbean.
The state of smoking in the Caribbean
Tobacco use is a decades-long public health issue in the Caribbean, which is why the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) endorsed a recommendation to ban smoking in public spaces in 2008. In December 2009, Trinidad and Tobago was the first Caribbean country to enact a 100% smoke-free law. In 2010, Barbados followed with legislation to end smoking in all public places.
Unfortunately, similar laws did little to move the needle in some Caribbean countries. For instance, a report by the Pan African Medical Journal notes that Jamaicans spent almost 40% of their annual income on tobacco-related products in 2012—and over half of the income on treating lung-related diseases. In the same year, CARICOM formulated tobacco labeling guidelines indicating the use of health warnings.
Since stringent anti-smoking laws were not necessarily effective, some Caribbean countries have opted to make nicotine alternatives more accessible. According to the PAHO report, Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago have included products classified as "nicotine replacement therapy" (NRTs) in their list of essential medicines. Along with Antigua and Barbuda, the Dominican Republic, St. Kitts, and Nevis, NRTs and other reduced-risk products have become readily available in pharmacies.
In line with cigarette cessation initiatives, nicotine pouches are one of the relatively newer alternatives available (though these are not considered to be NRT). ZYN nicotine pouches are tobacco-free, smoke-free options in different flavors and strengths. Medium-strength options like ZYN Wintergreen 6mg could be used to facilitate a smooth transition away from cigarettes. Later on, a lighter option like ZYN Coffee 3mg can help mitigate occasional cravings in the later stages of a Caribbean resident's quit journey.
Gum is another format introduced as an alternative to nicotine in the region. For instance, Nicorette Coated Ice Mint nicotine gum was launched by GlaxoSmithKline in 2019. This product delivers nicotine along with a prolonged cooling sensation. The enhanced availability of such alternatives has contributed to positive changes in Caribbean smoking rates for both sexes.
Outlook for smoking rates in the Caribbean
With the mix of regulations, progress was gradual at first; in 2016, 76.8% of deaths in the non-Latin Caribbean were still due to non-communicable diseases traceable to tobacco use. Still, thanks to the support of local governments and organizations, the region has seen significant differences in overall consumption. Some countries, such as Antigua and Barbuda in 2021, also moved to ban the advertising and promotion of tobacco products. As a result, the WHO member states in the Americas with the highest difference in prevalence between sexes are in the Caribbean: Barbados, the Bahamas, and Panama are some examples.
WHO reports that the number of female current tobacco users has declined in all regions, including the Caribbean, from 2000 to 2022. Specifically, the Americas is expected to surpass the global goal of a 30% reduction in tobacco use prevalence by 2025. Health stakeholders in the Caribbean public and private sector continue to be passionate about harm reduction, declaring a goal of a smoke-free Caribbean by 2025 or 2030.
With the rising prevalence of alternatives and the continued implementation of anti-smoking regulations, the region is set to achieve tremendous progress in this critical public health sector.
