Experts and officials in Alexandria have raised concerns about the dangers of smoking and tobacco on the health of Egyptians, as well as the impact on those around them, particularly children, young people, and teenagers. This comes as the number of smokers in Egypt reaches 18% of the population. A recent awareness seminar was organized by the Alexandria Media Complex in collaboration with the Gomerk Educational Administration.
The seminar, titled "The Dangers of Smoking and Addiction: Awareness Protects Our Children," was held at the Ras Al-Tin Secondary Military School for Boys. Tamer Abdel Moneim Salem, responsible for developmental media at the Alexandria Media Complex, opened the seminar and highlighted its objectives. He emphasized the importance of the internal media sector in implementing educational programs and seminars targeting young people and school students.
Dr. Rokia Abu Ghali, Director General of the Gomerk Educational Administration in Alexandria, stressed the importance of early awareness of the dangers of smoking and addiction. She highlighted the role of families and schools in protecting students and noted that preserving the health and building the awareness of young people is an investment in the future of the country.
Dr. Nesma Gibril, responsible for the National Center for Criminal and Social Research in Alexandria, presented a lecture on the causes and motivations behind some young people taking up smoking at an early age. She discussed the health and social dimensions of this phenomenon and noted that smoking is a factor in the transition to other patterns of substance abuse.
Dr. Gibril presented several statistics and data related to the phenomenon of smoking, revealing that the Egyptian market consumes around 100 billion cigarettes annually. She also cited estimates from 2023 indicating that around 18% of Egypt's population are smokers. The seminar aimed to raise awareness about the dangers of smoking and addiction.
Ahmed Al-Dosouki, head of the Al-Dosouki Foundation for Community Development in Alexandria, emphasized the need for the state to take urgent preventive measures to reduce smoking rates. He suggested imposing penalties or introducing new mechanisms to limit the phenomenon, which drains 3.2 billion EGP from the Ministry of Health's budget.
The seminar was part of efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of smoking and addiction, and to encourage young people to adopt healthy lifestyles. The experts' warnings highlight the need for a comprehensive approach to address the issue of smoking in Egypt, which affects not only individuals but also the country's healthcare system.
Key points
- The seminar aimed to raise awareness about the dangers of smoking and addiction among young people in Egypt.
- The Egyptian market consumes around 100 billion cigarettes annually.
- Smoking drains 3.2 billion EGP from the Ministry of Health's budget.
