Tobacco use is considered a significant public health concern in Morocco, contributing to 8% of the country’s deaths, according to Morocco’s Minister of Health and Social Protection Khalid Aït Taleb, during a recent parliamentary session.
Aït Taleb emphasized the significant health risks associated with tobacco use, characterizing it as an “epidemic.” In particular, tobacco is responsible for 75% of lung cancer deaths and 10% of respiratory disease-related fatalities in Morocco.
He presented an overview of tobacco usage trends in Morocco. The 2018 National Survey on Risk Factors for Non-Communicable Diseases revealed that 23.4% of men and 0.3% of women in Morocco are smokers.
The minister cited findings from the Global Tobacco Surveillance System, a research initiative that has conducted studies on smoking behaviors among various groups, including school-aged youth, students, teachers, and administrators.
The Survey revealed a decline in smoking rates among students aged 13 to 15 years, with a drop from 9% in 2010 to 6% in 2017.
The smoking rate among adults aged 18 and older decreased from 16% in 2008 to 13.4% in 2017, indicating a broader trend of reduced tobacco use across different age groups, according to the same source.