Smoking related illness are costing more in medical expences than the value of tobacco sales in Papua New Guinea.
The World Health Organisation's PNG country representative Dr William Adu-Krow says attempts of ban smoking in public places and limit tobacco sales to young people are failing.
He told an audience in Port Moresby on World Tobacco Day, governments need to pass laws to limit premature deaths from smoking related illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, cancer and emphysema.
The World Health Organisation says tobacco epidemic kills nearly 6 million people worldwide and second hand smoke exposure causes six hundred thousand deaths globally every year.
