Alarming cost of tobacco-related diseases in Tunisia

2 Billion Dinars: Alarming cost of tobacco-related diseases in Tunisia

Hatem Bouzaiene, doctor and president of the Tunisian Alliance Against Tobacco, warned of the dangers of smoking, which affects more and more children in Tunisia.

A WHO study, published in 2023, shows that 11.9% of adolescents aged 13 to 15 smoke regularly, and this rate rises to 14% among 15-17 year olds. In addition, 36.2% of young people are exposed to passive smoking, a figure which reaches 49.4% in public places. The WHO also reported that some children start smoking as young as seven years old.

In 2023, the use of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco will increase significantly among young people, with more than 17% of minors using these products despite their high cost. Bouzaiene warned of the dangers of these alternatives, which cause strong addiction, just like traditional cigarettes.

The WHO also underlined that tobacco-related diseases cost Tunisia two billion dinars each year, or 1.8% of GDP. Doctor Bouzaiene called for a strengthening of anti-smoking laws, recalling that smoking is the main cause of several cancers, and that the State struggles to cover the costs of treatments, which can reach between 200,000 and 300,000 dinars per year and per patient.