Morocco ranked 100th worldwide for smoking rates in 2023, with 14.5% of the population indulging in the habit, according to a new analysis by American platform Wisevoter.
Despite global efforts to raise awareness on risks associated with smoking in various nations, the poll, which covered 158 countries, revealed that the global average smoking rate remains much higher.
Africa has the lowest smoking rates compared to other continents. Ghana has the lowest smoking rate at 3.5%, followed by Nigeria (3.7%). Panama (5%), Ethiopia (5.1%), and Turkmenistan (5.5%) are among non-African countries with low smoking rates.
Cigarette taxes in the African continent represent a significant amount of cash for governments. These tariffs tend to dramatically raise the cost of cigarettes, making them unaffordable for some segments of the population.
Despite these restrictions, certain African countries have high smoking rates. Madagascar has the highest smoking rate in the world at 27.8%, followed by Tunisia (24.50%), Egypt (24.3%), Lesotho (24.30%), and Algeria (21%).
Nauru, an island state in Micronesia and part of Oceania, has the highest global smoking rate (48.5%). Almost half of its population of 13,000 people smoke.
Myanmar was placed second with 44.1%, followed by Serbia (39.80%). Papua New Guinea (39.3%), East Timor (39.2%), Bulgaria (39%), Lebanon (38.2%), Indonesia (37.6%), Latvia (37%), and Croatia (36.9%) have the highest smoking rates:
However, significant regional disparities are obscured by this global average and can be attributed to the interaction of a number of cultural, economic, and regulatory variables. Other factors that influence smoking rates include tobacco production and social acceptance.