Trends in tobacco consumption and incidences of associated neoplasms in Papua New Guinea.

From 1960 to 1979 total annual consumption of tobacco in Papua New Guinea increased from 573 to 1800 metric tonnes. The annual consumption of tobacco per head increased from 2.78 to 6.14 kg, and the proportion of commercial cigarettes smoked is estimated to have increased from 20% to 71% of the total tobacco consumption. Between 1965 and 1979 the average annual age standardised incidence of reported cases of carcinoma of the oral cavity increased significantly in women (p less than 0.01) but not in men (p greater than 0.05). This rise might have been related to increasing consumption of tobacco or alcohol, or both, in individuals who habitually chewed betel nut. There was no significant change in the reported incidences of carcinoma of the larynx, lung, oesophagus, pancreas, kidney, or bladder. At present there are no constraints on the marketing of tobacco in Papua New Guinea.