The tobacco control program within the Ministry of Health has disclosed that Iraqis are projected to spend approximately three billion dinars daily on tobacco products, equating to about two million dollars.
On February 2, Iraq observes its National Day for Smoking Cessation, commemorating the enactment of the Anti-Smoking Law No. 19 of 2012.
Dr. Wassim Keelane, the assistant to the program director, emphasized that this year’s commemoration will address the health, environmental, and economic repercussions associated with tobacco consumption and its smoke.
The chosen theme for the event is “Smoke the Beauty and Femininity of Women,” aiming to shed light on the significant health risks posed by smoking to women. Smoking is responsible for the deaths of over eight million individuals annually, including approximately 1.5 million women among a global population of 200 million female smokers, predominantly residing in low- and middle-income countries.
Kelan further noted that research indicates female smokers are at a higher risk than their non-smoking counterparts for developing cervical cancer, experiencing infertility, facing complications in pregnancy, giving birth to low-weight infants, and risks of sudden infant death syndrome after birth. The Ministry of Planning has identified Iraq as a country with significant tobacco product consumption, leading to daily expenditures near three billion dinars on a variety of tobacco forms, including conventional cigarettes, shisha, and heated tobacco products.
Kelan informed that the Central Agency for Standardization and Quality Control, part of the Ministry of Planning, is responsible for issuing standard specifications for tobacco products, including guidelines for labeling. Upcoming standards for heated tobacco products are also slated for release. These guidelines mandate that tobacco products carry quality marks and warning indicators regarding health risks, as well as comprehensive information about their components, including nicotine, tar, and added flavors.
Despite established standards and regulations governing the importation of tobacco products, illegal entry into the country remains prevalent. This, coupled with aggressive marketing strategies employed by tobacco companies, has led to widespread availability of tobacco goods in Iraqi markets.
In 2020, the Consultative Authority for Food Safety imposed a ban on the trading, selling, importing, manufacturing, and advertising of electronic cigarettes. A legislative proposal titled “Protection from Tobacco Damage,” currently under review by the Health and Environment Committee in Parliament, has been read twice and is positioned for voting. This legislation aims to safeguard individuals and society from the health hazards posed by tobacco products in all their forms.
The program director cautioned against the high toxicity of tobacco products, noting that nicotine concentrations exceeding 0.8 are considered highly toxic. Additionally, the presence of tar and arsenic further exacerbates the adverse effects on human health, including damage to the immune, nervous, digestive, and respiratory systems.