Tobacco Use Down in Cambodia

The youth cigarette smoking rate in Cambodia dropped from 32 percent in 2014 to 28 percent in 2022, reports the Phnom Penh Post, citing new Ministry of Health research. Despite the research showing a 4 percent decrease in cigarette smokers, the overall number of cigarette smokers has not decreased because the population grows annually, according to Mom Kong, Cambodia Movement for Health executive director.

“I think that the most effective measure we can take would be to raise taxes on the tobacco products so that the rate is similar to our neighboring countries in order to reduce the number of Cambodian deaths from tobacco smoking,” Kong stated.

“We hail what the government has done so far, but the government should strengthen the implementation of the laws more than this,” said Lim Sophoan, project coordinator of the Cambodian Coalition to Fight Infectious Diseases. “That’s good. In addition, we also want to tighten laws and continue to educate people from relevant ministries.”