· Tobacco uses in Jordan has reached unprecedented levels, undermining human development.
· Licensing hookah cafes has made frequenting them a socially accepted daily practice.
· Manufacturers resort to introducing flavored and visually appealing products to attract consumers.
Tobacco Consumption Levels in Jordan Are Alarming
More than half of Jordanians (53%) aged 15+ consume tobacco in all its forms, totaling approximately 2.8 million people. Among users, 71% are male while the remaining 29% are female. Shockingly, 83% of users started consuming tobacco before age 24, with 38% beginning before 18. Currently smokers consume an average of 22 cigarettes per day. Despite strict laws prohibiting public smoking, tobacco use remains visibly prevalent in public spaces.
Tobacco Expenditure Deprives Families of Basic Needs
Tobacco consumption imposes a heavy financial burden on Jordanian households, diverting limited income away from essential needs. On average, smokers spend 78 JOD monthly on manufactured cigarettes, 14 JOD on heated tobacco devices, 24 JOD on heating sticks, and 35 JOD on e-cigarettes. In low-income families with multiple tobacco users, these expenditures severely undermine the household's ability to afford necessities like food, medicine, education, and even transportation to work—further perpetuating cycles of poverty.
Tobacco and Cancer
Between 2020 and 2022, Jordan recorded 10,755 cancer cases, including 8,754 among Jordanians and 2,021 among non-Jordanians. The most common cancers for both genders were breast cancer, followed by colorectal cancer, lung cancer, lymphomas, and bladder cancer. Notably, three of these top five prevalent cancers are strongly linked to tobacco use.
In a statement late last year, Health Minister Dr. Firas Al-Hawari revealed alarming trends: Cancer cases in Jordan have surged by 40% since 2015, with tobacco use being a leading contributor. Of particular concern is the more than doubling of smoking rates among women between 2004-2019. The financial toll is staggering - Jordan currently spends at least 350 million JOD annually on cancer treatment, with projections indicating this cost will exceed 500 million JOD by 2030.
The 2024 policy paper "The Economics of Smoking in Jordan" issued by the Jordan Economic Forum demonstrates that tobacco and e-cigarette use are causing major non-communicable diseases that pose high risks to Jordanian society. This epidemic represents a significant challenge to public health in the country, with smoking causing more than 9,000 Jordanian deaths annually. Alarmingly, 56% of these deaths are premature, affecting individuals under 70 years of age.
Tobacco Use and Sustainable Development Goals
The National Strategy for Tobacco Control (2024-2030) clearly indicates that Jordan's current tobacco consumption patterns are incompatible with achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG Target 3.4 specifically calls on member states to reduce premature deaths from non-communicable diseases by one-third by 2030, which necessitates accelerated implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) as outlined in SDG Target 3.a. Importantly, tobacco control serves not only as a vital tool for improving population health but also as an effective means to reduce poverty and inequality (SDGs 1 and 10, respectively), foster economic growth (SDG 8), and address environmental challenges (SDGs 13 and 15). This comprehensive approach underscores how tobacco control intersects with multiple development priorities, making it a critical component of Jordan's sustainable development agenda.
Jordan and the world commemorate World No Tobacco Day on May 31st each year. This year's theme, "Exposing the Illusion: Revealing the Tactics of the Tobacco and Nicotine Industry," focuses on exposing the strategies used by these industries - through flavors, designs, and innovative marketing - to make their harmful products appealing, especially to young people. The campaign aims to raise public awareness about how tobacco and nicotine products are deceptively marketed, advocate for policy changes to ban flavors and additives that enhance their appeal, implement comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising and promotion, and reduce consumer demand for these products.
Tobacco use is a harmful behavior that negatively impacts both individual and public health, gradually damaging the body's immune system and potentially leading to cancer. It causes severe health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, and cataracts. Of particular concern are its effects on women's health: tobacco use reduces fertility and pregnancy chances, while pregnant women who smoke face a higher risk of miscarriage. Alarmingly, the 2023 Jordan Population and Family Health Survey revealed that 14.1% of ever-married women aged 15-49 consume tobacco in some form.
