AMMAN: Jordan National Anti-Smoking Society President Mohammad Shreim told the Jordan News Agency, Petra, on Thursday Jordanians annually spend JD508 million on tobacco, which is enough to build eight hospitals.
Smoking is an “epidemic” that is not yet listed among the health priorities of the local and regional community, Shreim said in previous remarks to The Jordan Times, adding that the habit is not receiving enough attention as a major threat to health and quality of life.
The ratio of male smokers aged between 13 and 15 has decreased from 17.4 to 17.3 per cent, and from 6.6 to 6.5 per cent for female smokers, according to statistics from the Health Ministry’s awareness directorate, Petra reported.
Official figures also show that more non-smokers are being affected by passive smoking in public places, rising from 53.6 to 65.4 per cent. The ratio of smokers between the ages of 12 and 16 stood at 26 per cent, while 36 per cent of those over 25 years old are smokers, according to Shreim.
