Jordanians Spend More on Tobacco Than Food: WHO Report

According to data from the World Health Organization, Jordanian households spend approximately 73.6 Canadian dollars per month on tobacco-related products. (Image provided by unsplash.com/andressiimon).

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that Jordan remains the highest consumer of tobacco worldwide, resulting in Jordanians spending more on tobacco products each month than on food.

According to a Facebook post on the World Health Organization's page, the organization held a seminar on Saturday to discuss the role of media in increasing awareness of chronic diseases among people.

According to local media reports, the World Health Organization has said that Jordanian families spend around 73.6 Jordanian dinars per month on tobacco-related products, while the average family spends no more than 27 Jordanian dinars per month on fruits. Families spend 38 Jordanian dinars per month on dairy and eggs, 50 Jordanian dinars per month on meat and poultry, and 42 Jordanian dinars per month on vegetables and beans.

Local media outlets added that the World Health Organization has expressed concern over the smoking issue in Saudi Arabia.

The World Health Organization added that "Jordan has the highest smoking rate in the world. 82% of males between 18 and 69 years old smoke.

The World Health Organization added that a total of 66% of males smoke or consume marijuana. Local media reports indicate that an additional 15% of individuals use electronic cigarettes.

Abdel Rahman Mustafa, a former respiratory disease expert with the Ministry of Health, has stated to the Jordan Times that the health hazards of smoking are well-known, ranging from respiratory illnesses to heart and lung problems.

Mustafa is also a smoker and he says that "electronic cigarettes have a strong appeal to young people because they taste good and leave no trace," Mustafa said.

Mustafa added, "Young people don't want their parents or teachers to know they smoke, so e-cigarettes are their solution.

According to Mustafa, teenagers smoking can be attributed to peer pressure or because they are imitating their parents' behavior. However, young people don't want to be caught smoking, so they turn to e-cigarettes.

He also claimed that the actual number of smokers in Jordan is higher than the reported figures. Mustafa stated, "Many young people and women do not admit to smoking, but they do acknowledge it.

The dentist Sahem Hamaida agrees with Mustafa's viewpoint.

According to Hamaida's interview with The Jordan Times, as a dentist, she witnesses patients who deny smoking on a daily basis. However, she can detect their smoking habits by examining their gum and teeth health.

At the same time, Um Mohammad, a 42-year-old Jordanian woman who smokes, does not admit to her deadly habit.

She is a mother of two children and is currently pregnant in her late stages. She claims she cannot quit smoking, but aside from one friend, no one else knows she smokes.

Um Mohammad acknowledged the dangers of smoking during pregnancy, but stated that she couldn't quit.

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