tobacco control law prohibits smoking in the following specified public places: health and educational facilities, governmental venues, sporting and social clubs, and youth centers (though these rules are not usually followed ). Smoking is also prohibited on public transport. Under a separate environmental statute, smoking is restricted to specially designated areas in industrial establishments, tourism related establishments, and electricity production establishments. Perception of Smoking In a survey conducted of Egyptian smokers, overall 97.6% believed that smoking tobacco can cause serious illness. However, belief that smoking causes specific illness varied. A significant number of smokers believe that shisha is less harmful than other forms of smoking. Approximately 97.4% believed that smoking shisha causes serious illness such as stroke, heart attack, and lung cancer.A national survey conducted by the Egyptian Smoking Prevention Research Institute showed that waterpipe smoking was inversely related to educational level, and that most users believed that using a waterpipe is less harmful than cigarettes. The survey also showed that more than 70% of male waterpipe smokers smoked in their homes in the presence of their children and wives, calling attention to the unfortunate lack of knowledge regarding indoor environmental tobacco smoke exposure. Tobacco Industry in Egypt Tobacco cultivation is not legal in Egypt, therefore companies who produce tobacco products must rely on imported raw tobacco largely imported from India and China, as well as from Brazil, Italy, Syrian Arab Republic, and the United States of America. Egypt's tobacco industry is dominated by the Eastern Tobacco Company (ETC), the largest cigarette manufacturer in the Middle East. A small but ever increasing amount of Egyptian cigarettes are exported to neighboring countries, mostly to serve Egyptians working abroad. Tobacco Advertising, Promotion, and Sponsorship In Egypt, most forms of tobacco advertising and promotion are banned. The law does not specifically ban tobacco sponsorship, nor does it use the term tobacco sponsorship. However, some forms of tobacco sponsorship may be prohibited under the ban on advertising and promotion. Because the terms “tobacco advertising and promotion” and “tobacco sponsorship” are not defined, it is difficult to determine the exact scope of the ban. Tobacco Packaging and Labeling Starting August 1, 2008 cigarette labels in Egypt began requiring images of the effects of smoking: a dying man in an oxygen mask, a coughing child and a limp cigarette symbolizing impotence. The law requires two textual warnings that must be accompanied by a picture (of a