Iraq Moves to Ban E-Cigarettes as Youth Vaping Rates Surge

Key points of interest:

1.The Iraqi Ministry of Health is considering legislation to completely ban the import, sale, and distribution of e-cigarettes, making it a key focus of the national tobacco control policy.

2.The bill, called the "Prevention of Harmful Effects of Tobacco Act," proposes fines, closures, and criminal liability mechanisms, and is currently awaiting formal approval.

3.The Ministry of Health warns that e-cigarettes are rapidly spreading among youth and children, posing a health risk to cognitive function in particular.

4.Tobacco use is responsible for nearly 12% of deaths in the country each year, with Iraq spending nearly 3 billion Iraqi dinars (2 million USD) on tobacco consumption daily.

5.The synchronized policies mirror Iraq's shift towards a more proactive public health intervention path, in line with countries such as India, Thailand, and Brazil that have already implemented bans.

According to a report by Kurdistan24 on May 7th, the Iraqi Ministry of Health announced that they are advancing a nationwide law to ban the import, sale, and distribution of e-cigarettes as a measure to address the rapid spread of e-cigarettes among youth and the public health risks they pose. The law, named the "Law for Protection from the Harmful Effects of Tobacco" is expected to be passed in the near future.

According to Wasim Kilani, Assistant Director of Iraq's National Tobacco Control Program, in a television interview on May 7th, the bill will explicitly prohibit all e-cigarette commercial activities within the country and establish specific enforcement mechanisms including fines, confiscation of devices, and criminal penalties. Once the bill is passed, it will be implemented by a joint enforcement agency within the healthcare system.

Kilani cited official data from the Ministry of Health, pointing out that in Iraq, one out of every five people currently smokes, with tobacco use ranking among the top ten causes of death in the country. Additionally, e-cigarette products have been rapidly spreading among adolescents and children due to their diverse designs and rich flavors, particularly affecting female minors.

The Ministry of Health stated that despite e-cigarettes being in a regulatory grey area in many countries, Iraq's intention this time is to implement preemptive interventions "before the trend spreads", in order to prevent nicotine addiction from becoming normalized among the next generation. Kirani urged parents and educational institutions to "intervene early" to prevent "misconceptions from spreading among adolescents.

According to public data provided by the Iraqi Ministry of Health and the Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction research：

·Adult smoking rate: The nationwide proportion of smokers is 18.7%, with 36% being male and only 1.6% female; 

·Youth tobacco use rate: 11% of youths are current smokers; 

·Health impacts: Smoking accounts for 11.71% of the total deaths nationwide, with 15.47% in males and 6.05% in females; 

·Economic burden: The national daily expenditure on tobacco consumption is nearly 3 billion Iraqi dinars (approximately 2 million USD); 

·E-cigarette usage characteristics: Mainly used by high school students, attracted by product design and flavors, with some users as young as children.

The Iraqi government's legislative action is also seen as part of the country's overall tobacco control strategy. Unlike many Western countries that tighten regulations after reaching peak usage, Iraq's healthcare system is attempting to proactively block potential addiction pathways through legislation.

Iraq's recent policy adjustments align with countries like India, Thailand, and Brazil that have already completely banned e-cigarettes, reflecting a global trend towards stricter control of new nicotine products in the public health system.

Kilani emphasized that legislation alone is not enough to curb the trend of e-cigarette proliferation, and public, family, and education systems must also be involved. The government has established a specific communication strategy to guide public opinion through schools, community organizations, and mainstream media to prevent teenagers from being exposed to and using e-cigarettes.