16.8% of Egyptians are smokers; 34 millions exposed to secondhand smoke: CAPMAS

CAIRO – 2 June 2023: 16.8 percent of Egyptians above 15 years of age smoke, the country’s Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) said, marking the World No-Tobacco Day.

The UN commemorates the World No-Tobacco Day annually on 31 May to raise awareness of the harmful and deadly effects of tobacco use.

Smoking in Egypt is highly related to males, CAPMAS said, noting that 33.8 percent of locals in Egypt smoke, while female smokers constitute only 0.3 percent of women in the country.

Nationwide, 39.6 percent of families have at least a smoking member, the agency said, which makes 34 million non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke.

Hence, a large percentage of women and children are exposed to secondhand smoke, CAPMAS noted.

The age group 35-44 represents the largest percentage of smokers in Egypt by 22.1 percent, followed by 21.6 percent among people of the age group 45-54.

Also, 19.9 percent of smokers are in the age group of 25-34, according to CAPMAS data.

“These percentages are high and have serious significance, especially in light of these age groups being the youth that are considered the pillar of the main labor force in the society,” the agency stressed.

The family average share of annual expenditure on smoking, according to the income, expenditure and consumption research sample, reached LE 2,665, the agency said.

Over the past decades, Egypt has launched numerous anti-smoking campaigns. The Ministry of Health has allocated the hotline 16805 to help smokers quit.

Over a billion people around the world smoke with 15 people dying because of smoking every minute, according to international data.