Caribbean News
CARPHA Observes World No Tobacco Day, says Heart disease & Cancer due to TOBACCO leads to 47% of deaths
May 30, 2023 – Tobacco use remains a major public health concern in the Caribbean Region. There is no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke. The use of tobacco products in any form harms nearly every organ of the body, irrespective of whether it is smoked, smokeless, or electronic. Of all the forms of tobacco use, most common in the Caribbean region is cigarette smoking. Cigarette smoking is the number one risk factor for lung cancer. Using other tobacco products such as cigars or pipes also increases the risk for this disease.
Second-hand smoke exposure causes stroke, lung cancer, and coronary heart disease in adults; and acute respiratory
infections and severe asthma in children. It is a preventable risk factor for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which are the leading cause of death, disease and disability among Caribbean people.
This year, World No Tobacco Day focuses on Grow Food, Not Tobacco. This campaign advocates for ending tobacco cultivation and switching to more sustainable crops that improve food security and nutrition. The campaign observed annually on 31 May, also informs the public on the dangers of direct use, and exposure to tobacco.
In the Caribbean Region, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death and disability – 76.8% of the total deaths (non-Latin Caribbean, excluding Haiti) were due to NCDs in 2016. Cardiovascular diseases 30.8% and cancer 17.2% are the leading causes of death due to NCD, both linked to tobacco use. Many of these persons die in the prime of their lives before the age of 70 years old. The prevalence of smokers for overall tobacco products ranged from 57.2% prevalence (95%CI 48.4 to 65.4%) to 16.2% (95%CI 11.2 to 23.0%). According to the Report on Tobacco Control in the Region of the Americas (2018) Caribbean countries have the highest levels of tobacco experimentation before the age of 10.[1]
Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director at the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) “Smokeless does not mean harmless. Nicotine in e-cigarettes is a highly addictive drug and can damage children’s developing brains. Children and adolescents who use e-cigarettes at least double their chance of smoking cigarettes later in life. Preventing tobacco product use among youth is therefore critical. It is important that we educate children and adolescents about the harms of nicotine and tobacco product use. We must work to prevent future generations from seeing such products as “normal”.”
In 2008, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) endorsed the recommendation to ban smoking in public spaces. Later, in 2012, CARICOM regulated a standard for labelling retail packages of tobacco products with health warnings. Caribbean civil society organisations (CSOs), working in collaboration with local governments and international partners, have led the charge in fighting for significant gains in tobacco control in the Caribbean region.
Dr. Heather Armstrong, Head, Chronic Disease and Injury: “At CARPHA, we believe that reducing the harm caused by tobacco use requires a collective approach, where government, civil society, and the individual play a critical role. CARPHA promotes the prevention of tobacco use in all forms and commitment to the WHO FCTC. The focus on tobacco control deals with the youth of the Region. Children and adolescents who use e-cigarettes at least double their chance of smoking cigarettes later in life.”
The Chronic Diseases and Injury Department of CARPHA provides leadership, strategic direction, coordinates and
implements technical cooperation activities directed towards the prevention and control of NCDs in CARPHA Member States. CARPHA’s message for prevention of tobacco product use has spread across its Member States.
In 2018, CARPHA in partnership with the University of the West Indies (UWI), Global Health Diplomacy Program at the University of Toronto, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and the Healthy Caribbean Coalition evaluated the Port of Spain Declaration to learn which mandates helped to prevent and control NCDs. Taxation, smoke-free public places mandate, and mandatory labelling of tobacco products are some of the leading policies making the biggest impact on reduction of tobacco use in the Caribbean regions.
CARPHA urges Member States to work together to prevent and reduce the use of all forms of tobacco products, and scale-up efforts to implement their commitments under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). By doing so, the negative impact of smoking and its consequences on the health of our people, especially the younger generation, and the tremendous burden on the economies of the countries in our Region, will greatly be reduced.
Caribbean News
Regional and U.S. Officials Warn: “Do Not Travel to Haiti” Amid Escalating Violence, Terrorism, and Breakdown in Order
Caribbean News
COMMUNIQUE | Forty-ninth (49th) Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community | Montego Bay, Jamaica
Montego Bay, Jamaica, July 14, 2025 – The Forty-Ninth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) was held in Montego Bay, Jamaica from 6-8 July under the chairmanship of Dr the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica.
Members of the Conference in attendance were: Honourable Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda; Honourable Philip Davis, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas; Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of the Republic of Barbados; Honourable John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize; His Excellency Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana; His Excellency Laurent Saint-Cyr, Councillor-President, Member of the Transitional Presidential Council, Haiti; Dr the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica; Honourable Terrance Drew, Prime Minister, Federation of St Kitts and Nevis; and Dr the Honourable Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Dr Vince Henderson, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Energy represented the Commonwealth of Dominica; 
Honourable Joseph Andall, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Export Development represented Grenada; Honourable Veronica Dorsette Hector, Deputy Premier, represented Montserrat; Honourable Alva Baptiste, Minister of External Affairs, International Trade, Civil Aviation and Diaspora Affairs represented Saint Lucia; His Excellency Steven MacAndrew, Minister of Labour, Employment Opportunity and Youth Affairs represented the Republic of Suriname; Honourable Sean Sobers, Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs,represented the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
Associate Members in attendance were Honourable E David Burt, Premier of Bermuda; Dr the Honourable Natalio Wheatley, Premier of the British Virgin Islands, His Excellency Gilmar Pisas, Prime Minister of Curacao; and Honourable Jamell Robinson, Deputy Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
OPENING CEREMONY
The Opening Ceremony was held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall, St James. The event featured remarks by leaders of the Community, and cultural items from several Jamaican performers. There was also a Declaration of solidarity from the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors for Jamaica which underscored their preparedness and desire to support the leaders of the Region in its development, prioritizing creativity, innovation and technology.
In her remarks, CARICOM Secretary General, Dr Carla Barnett noted that the collective action of CARICOM Member States has delivered many commendable results for the people of the Region, in human and social development, economic integration, foreign policy coordination, and security, which provide a useful roadmap for the way forward.
“Unprecedented global uncertainty, economic pressures, technological innovations that challenge our capacity to keep pace, climate vulnerability, and the needs of our young people, our women and future generations, compel us to act collectively, with courage and with conviction,” the Secretary-General said.
Prime Minister of Barbados and Outgoing Chair, Honourable Mia Amor Mottley noted that CARICOM has seen many challenges and urged the gathering to persevere and persist in efforts to advance and strengthen integration. Quoting from popular Jamaican artiste, Jimmy Cliff, she said “We can get it if we really want, but we must try and try and try.”
She pointed to support for Haiti, efforts to control disinformation, and the need to tackle crime and enhance citizen security, as some of the
critical issues which the Community must continue to address. “We must be resolute in preserving CARICOM as a Zone of Peace and reaffirm our commitment to working with the international community to promote de-escalation, uphold diplomacy, and pursue lasting solutions grounded in dialogue and mutual respect”.
In his remarks, the new Chair, Dr the Most Honourable Andrew Holness said his Chairmanship would focus on regional security, especially as it relates to transnational organised crime and gangs, noting that it is critical that a global war on gangs be declared similar to the war on terror. The Prime Minister called for concerted action to dismantle criminal networks and cripple their resources.
“Our theme: People, Partnerships and Prosperity – Promoting a Secure and Sustainable Future” captures the essence of our regional purpose. It reflects a profound truth, that security and resilience are not optional; they are foundations for prosperity; that people-centered development and strategic partnerships are not aspirational, but essential,” the Prime Minister said.
He cited climate justice and climate finance, mobilizing support for Haiti, and strengthening internal coordination and external partnerships as critical to the ongoing work of the Community. Prime Minister Holness also stressed the importance of engaging young people in shaping the decisions that affect their future. He reminded that it was important to engage them in a deliberate, sustained and meaningful manner.
The opening ceremony can be viewed at: https://caricom.org/49hgc/
The COMMUNIQUE in its entirety can be read here: Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community
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