Smoking epidemic in Tunisia: Urgent need for action

Jun.05.2024

Tunisia faces smoking epidemic with half of deaths caused by smoking, urges stricter laws and public engagement for prevention.

According to a recent report by Mustaqila, Alfa Saiedi, Head of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health at the World Health Organization office in Tunisia, stated that nearly half of the death cases in Tunisia are caused by smoking, accounting for 20% of the country's total number of deaths.

The official mentioned that new tobacco products, especially e-cigarettes and "heated tobacco," are particularly popular among adolescents aged 15 to 17. A study conducted by the Tunisian Ministry of Health in 2021 found that in this age group, the prevalence of e-cigarette use has reached 17%, surpassing traditional cigarette use at 14%. Moreover, smoking is becoming increasingly common among women in Tunisia, with 25% of adolescents aged 15 to 17 being smokers.

Despite the Tunisian government's active efforts to reduce the harm of smoking, the implementation of Law No. 17 of 1998 on preventing smoking hazards still has deficiencies at the enforcement level. Although the law explicitly prohibits smoking, the sale of tobacco to minors, especially in educational and university institutions, has not been effectively curbed.

In response to World No Tobacco Day, the Tunisian Ministry of Health is working to revise anti-smoking laws. In light of this, Sayidi is calling on all parties to actively participate, including the government in implementing and enforcing strict laws, international organizations to provide professional support, civil society to carry out related awareness campaigns, and individuals to consistently reject smoking and uphold a healthy lifestyle.

References:

[1] التدخين في تونس: أرقام مفزعة ومخاوف من ارتفاع استهلاكه لدى الشباب

#Traditional tobacco #Legislation #E-cigarettes #Africa #Tunisia

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