Photo: 123RF
The price of cigarettes in New Caledonia has been hiked by ten percent to help curb smoking and to gather more revenue.
Since the beginning of the year, a pack of cigarettes costs just over $US20, with the government already having decided on a further ten-percent increase next year.
Tobacco consumption is reported to have declined by almost 15 percent in the year to November, but more than a third of adults still smoke every day, a figure which is higher than in France.
According to health authorities, daily smokers consume 12 cigarettes a day, with about a fifth of people over 45 smoking more than a pack a day.
The figures also show most smokers roll their own cigarettes to offset the price hikes.
Six percent of New Caledonians vape daily.
Half of the smokers reported to have tried to quit in the past year.
