Amman - Smoking has been linked to thousands of deaths in Jordan every year, statis­tics from the Directorate of Awareness and Health Edu­cation at the Ministry of Health, re­leased to coincide with the launch of a nationwide anti-smoking cam­paign, state.
The aggressive campaign ban­ning smoking in public places mainly targets young Jordanians with a special focus on school and university students, almost 50% of whom are smokers, in a country where 29% of the adult popula­tion smokes. It is promoted with support from the World Health Or­ganisation (WHO) and civil society organisations.
“Definitely, we need a huge cam­paign to deter young people from smoking as this phenomenon is be­coming a true disease affecting the health of the youth, as young as 14 if not younger, and those around them,” said Dr Saliba Emseeh, a general practitioner.
Ministry of Health statistics, re­leased in conjunction with World No Tobacco Day, indicate that 11.4% of young people 13-15 years old smoke cigarettes and 26.7% smoke shisha. Overall, 9.3% of all Jorda­nians smoke shisha. The ministry said that smoking is blamed for the death of one of every eight Jordani­ans.
Emseeh said the anti-smoking campaign would not stop young people from smoking in public places even though the ministry had appointed 566 officers to over­see the implementation of the new­ly amended Public Health Law.
The law, which prohibits smok­ing in public and closed places, car­ries penalties up to three months in prison and a maximum fine of $280. Selling tobacco to people younger than 18 and allowing smokers to use public facilities could be pun­ished by up to nine months in pris­on and fines ranging $1,400-$4,220.
The amendments, introduced in line with Jordan’s National Tobacco Control Strategy 2016-18, constitut­ed a pivotal shift in Jordan’s efforts to curb smoking. It is supported by WHO and King Hussein Cancer Foundation Centre.
WHO projected the tobacco con­sumption rate among Jordanians would reach 50% by 2025. Globally, tobacco use will cause nearly 6 mil­lion deaths per year.
“I am sure that smoking hurts your body but what to do now that I am hooked on it and maybe, and that is a big maybe, I will stop when I grow older,” he added.
The ministry said second-hand smoke affects 62% of children aged 13-15 years.
The Association Tobacco Free Jordan, a group of Jordanian citi­zens concerned about the risks of second-hand smoking and tobacco addiction, said second-hand smoke is a cause of premature birth and serious cardiovascular and respira­tory diseases, including coronary heart disease and lung cancer.
Women in Jordan are hooked more on smoking shisha, including taking their own shisha with them everywhere they go.
“I carry my little shisha when I visit my friends and we have our shisha session. The shisha is a good way to enjoy a gathering more than cigarettes and it even smells better. I don’t think there is a problem with enjoying a shisha twice a week,” said Lubna Abeddayem, 28.
Jordan’s Anti-Smoking Society said Jordanians spend around $650 million a year on cigarettes.
The Jordanian government this year raised the tax on cigarettes by $0.64 to $1.70, a move hailed by anti-tobacco activists but scorned by smokers.