In the run-up to the “International No Tobacco Day” on Sunday, health experts and anti-smoking groups around the world launched campaigns to raise awareness about the dangers of cigarette smoking.

In the Middle East, where awareness levels remain low and smoking remains dangerously prevalent, especially among the male population, the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasised the dangers involved in failing to address the phenomenon at a regional level.

While political commitment across the region has risen, WHO officials say that little effort has been made to combat the smoking of cigarettes and shisha water pipes, popular in the Arab world. “In the East Mediterranean region, we still seem unable to take this message forward…to the general public in a way that has any meaningful impact,” reads a statement by WHO Regional Director Hussein Gezairy, which was delivered on Sunday. “Trends have changed, but I’m afraid it is for the worse.”

Although there are no precise figures on the number of smokers in the region, a recent WHO survey revealed that smoking is more prevalent than ever in the Middle East, with shisha smoking part of the daily life for many across gender and age groups.

In Egypt, the Ministry of Health is currently running an anti-tobacco campaign, issuing posters and regular information to the media on the subject. According to WHO statistics, Egypt currently runs a laboratory that works to regulate tobacco contents. Limits have also been set to regulate the maximum content of tar and nicotine in cigarettes. The limit on tar, for instance, is lower than that stipulated in Iran, but higher than in Jordan.

A 1999 survey conducted by the health ministry revealed that 35 percent of the male population were smokers, compared to only 1.6 percent of women. However, more recent studies reveal that, with the spread of the use of shisha, smoking among women and young people is becoming increasingly widespread. While tobacco companies are banned from sponsoring sports and cultural events, there is no ban on the sale of tobacco below a certain age, according to the WHO.

The WHO lists both a “lack of government commitment” and a “lack of financial resources” as key constraints to an effective anti-tobacco campaign.

In Iraq, where smoking levels are high, no organised anti-smoking group exists. However, the health ministry is planning to approach the Cabinet to issue a decision banning smoking in all ministry buildings, health ministry spokesman Dr Qassim Allawi said on Wednesday. “We’ll start in our ministry,” said Allawi. “Then we’ll ask the Cabinet to legislate a law that prohibits smoking in governmental buildings and public places.”

Source: Alertnet