According to a national survey of young people in Morocco, smoking is on the decline. For the first time, the survey also looked at the use of electronic cigarettes among young Moroccans.
A PREVALENCE OF 5,3% IN YOUNG PEOPLE FROM 13 TO 15 YEARS!
Smoking among young Moroccans is falling. According to a national survey of school-aged youth smoking from 13 to 15 years conducted by the Ministry of Health and published in the latest epidemiology and public health bulletin 27 March 2018, the prevalence of smoking has declined in young people by establishing 6% in 2016, a decrease of 55,5% from 2001 to 2016.
Previous surveys that were conducted in 2001, 2006, and 2010 revealed a prevalence of 10,8% in 2001, 11% in 2006, and 9,5% in 2010. Similarly, the prevalence of smokers has shown a downward trend with respectively 2,6% in 2001, 3,5% in 2006, 2,8% in 2010 and 1,9% in 2016 is a decrease of 73%. This drop is greater for girls than for boys with 80 and 69% respectively.
It should be noted that this study which was carried out in school in 2016 targeted 3.915 students whose 2.948 were aged from 13 to 15 years. In addition, this study analyzed for the first time the use of electronic cigarettes among young people. Thus, the prevalence of e-cigarette use during the 30 days preceding the survey in these young people was 5,3% with respectively 6,3% in boys and 4,3% in girls.
The survey notes that the prevalence of smoking among school-aged youth aged 13 to 15 years remains among the lowest in the Eastern Mediterranean region.
Thus, in Morocco, the prevalence of tobacco users was 4,4% in 2016 while in Egypt, this prevalence was 13,6% in 2014 and 11,4% in 2010. In addition, the prevalence passive smoking in the family environment decreased with respectively 25,1% in 2001, 19,5% in 2010 and 15,2% in 2016. On the other hand, the prevalence of passive smoking in closed public spaces increased from 37,6% in 2001 to 41,8% in 2016.
This increase is explained by the lack of enforcement of the 15-91 anti-tobacco law, which prohibits the use of tobacco in public spaces. Regarding smoking cessation, 50% of students who smoke have tried to quit smoking for 12 months. It should also be noted that 60,3% of students wanted to quit smoking at the time of the survey. These data reveal the need to increase smoking cessation benefits to make them available to young people who want to stop smoking. In terms of access to tobacco, more than half (57,3%) of young smokers bought their cigarettes from a kiosk, a shop or a street vendor. They are 47,3% to have bought their cigarettes to the unit.
These figures clearly show that young age is not an obstacle to the purchase of cigarettes, whereas the sale of tobacco to less than 18 years should be formally prohibited. Hence the need to strengthen legislative measures concerning the sale of tobacco to minors.
Source : Aujourdhui.ma/
