25 July 2017 – Tobacco use is an epidemic that kills more than 7 million people a year worldwide. In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 38% of men and 4% of women (21% of adults on average) smoke tobacco. In some of our countries, however, the proportion of smokers can be as high as 52% among men and 22% among women. Smoking rates among youth are...

15 July 2017 – Children and young people are regularly exposed to scenes in which celebrities, even those known to be non-smokers, are shown unnecessarily smoking or holding unlit cigarettes or electronic cigarettes, giving the message that they are deliberately promoting tobacco. The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on the...

20 July 2017 – Waterpipe tobacco smoking (shisha) is increasing globally, and is especially prevalent in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Young people are particularly at risk. Smoking rates can reach 42% among boys and 31% among girls in this Region. This includes smoking shisha, which is more popular among young people than cigarettes. Over the past 10...