Jordan’s Minister of Health, Firas Al-Hawari, announced the results of a national survey about the nation’s tobacco use, which he called “alarming.” Speaking with Jordanian adults 15 and older, the results were:
- 71.2% of males and 28.8% of females smoked
- 38.6% of people started smoking before the age of 18
- 33.8% of smokers light up within the first five minutes of waking up
- 53% supported a tobacco tax increase, including 33% of smokers
- 43% smoke tobacco daily (65% of men, 17% of women)
- Smokers average 22 cigarettes per day
- 14.3% smoke shisha
- 4.1% used heated tobacco products (of them, 82.6% were men)
- 7.2% use e-cigarettes (of them, 79% are men)
- 59% of smokers said they want to quit
