Bill Includes Higher Taxes, Public Bans, Youth Protections, and Vape Ad Ban
The Iraqi parliament is scheduled to vote on May 6 on a comprehensive anti-smoking bill designed to significantly curb tobacco use through increased taxes, expanded bans, stricter penalties, and incentives for industry transition. The legislation, having passed its first two readings, places a strong emphasis on protecting minors from tobacco products and secondhand smoke.
Key provisions include prohibiting advertising for cigarettes, hookah, and vaping devices. The bill explicitly forbids hookah use by those under 18 and bans smoking in vehicles carrying anyone under 18. Public smoking will be prohibited, with violators facing fines starting at 50,000 Iraqi dinars (approx. $38). Selling tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and vapes, to minors will carry harsher penalties: a minimum six-month prison sentence or fines between 250,000 and 500,000 dinars (approx. $190-$382).
The law also imposes new taxes, including 500 dinars (approx. $0.38) per imported cigarette pack and doubles existing taxes on imported and locally made cigarettes, setting a 40% customs tariff. Building on a 2012 law, it offers financial incentives (loans) for tobacco farmers and cigarette factories to switch to alternative crops or industries.
With high smoking rates (18.6% adults, 9.5% youth) and over 27,000 estimated annual smoking-related deaths, the bill represents a major push to address a significant public health issue in Iraq.