Maghreb experts call for common response to growing tobacco epidemic
via Business News4 min read
Experts from Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya convened in Tunis on June 2, 2026, for the conference "Smoking in the Maghreb: Reflections on a Common Challenge," organized by Med.tn, to address the escalating tobacco epidemic in the region. Tunisia alone records 13,200 tobacco-related deaths annually, with nearly 20% due to passive smoking and almost half occurring before age 70. Similar trends of high consumption, early initiation among youth, and significant health costs are observed in Algeria and Libya. The experts emphasized the need for coordinated regional strategies to combat this issue. Algerian epidemiologist Souad Bouaoud highlighted prevention as a top priority, focusing on deterring young people from starting to smoke through stricter regulations, more dissuasive taxation, and limiting access to tobacco products for minors. Tunisian cardiologist Dhaker Lahidheb noted that over half of myocardial infarctions in Tunisia are linked to smoking, and approximately 20% of deaths in the country are tobacco-related, with nearly one in two men being a smoker. Globally, tobacco causes about eight million deaths annually, including 1.3 million from passive smoking. Participants advocated for stronger public policies and better support for those wishing to quit, including wider access to cessation tools like nicotine substitutes, which are often unaffordable. Libyan pulmonologist Hachem Belkhir discussed a harm reduction approach, suggesting that non-combustion products could be st
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