How prevalent is smoking in Lebanon, compared to regional and international countries?
Nakkash: [The two most prominent reports] are the worldwide Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) which examines self-reported smoking behavior among 13 to 15 year-olds in Lebanon, and the Mpower report by the World Health Organization. There is no nation-wide census in Lebanon, but cross-sectional studies show that the prevalence of smoking among the overall population, and in particular among youth and women, is very high. According to a World Bank report in 2002, 46% of Lebanese men and 35% of women smoke. According to a 2006 Tobacco Atlas study, 35.7% of the Lebanese population smokes (42% of males and 30.6% females)… The reason is that we are one of the weakest countries when it comes to tobacco-control policy and regulation. We have no bans on tobacco product advertising, no bans on smoking in public places and no awareness on the issue. In addition, cigarettes are ridiculously cheap and health warnings are miniscule. What prevents the ratification and implementation of a tobacco co
