Tunisia’s Anti-Tobacco Laws Failing, Experts Urge New Approach
Despite having comprehensive anti-tobacco legislation in place for over a decade, Tunisia is struggling with high smoking rates, weak enforcement, and a rigid cessation strategy that experts argue is failing its citizens. Nearly half (48%) of Tunisian men smoke regularly, and tobacco use is one of the top five causes of mortality in the country, responsible for 13,200 deaths annually.
While Tunisia’s laws include bans on smoking in public places and advertising restrictions, their application remains weak, with easy access to tobacco products. Hatem Bouzayene, president of the Tunisian Alliance for Tobacco Control, highlighted that 25% of Tunisian students smoke, with new products like e-cigarettes attracting youth. The economic burden is also immense, with the cost of treating tobacco-related diseases representing approximately 1.8% of the country’s GDP.
Critics argue the national cessation program’s focus on total abstinence, with limited access to nicotine replacement therapies, is not suitable for everyone. International expert Dr. Mark Tyndall advocates for integrating a harm reduction approach, similar to the UK’s embrace of vaping or Sweden’s experience with Snus, to provide smokers with less harmful, smoke-free alternatives. He denounces the resistance to these solutions, stating that providing safer options is a matter of health equity and social justice. Advocates are calling for a new, adapted regulatory framework in Tunisia that includes rigorous product controls, health professional training, and scientific communication to offer smokers concrete alternatives and effective support for quitting.
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