The general secretary of Samoa's National Council of Women says a new cigarette factory 'Island Tobacco' in Vaiala will make more people ill by encouraging smoking.
Laufili Malama Ainu'u says families have to deal with sick family members suffering from cancer and other diseases caused by smoking.
She says this second cigarette factory, approved by the government, does nothing to promote healthy living.
"We disagree with it but unfortunately we can't do anything about it because of the government's decision to build another cigarette factory in the place. It creates more jobs, but it creates a lot of sickness for the people of the country."
Mrs Ainu'u says that young people are particularly prone, especially women under 30.
She says it encourages non-smokers to start smoking, and is not a way to promote a smoke free lifestyle among Samoans.
