Morocco ranks 100th among countries with most smokers in 2023

14.5% of the Moroccan population are smokers, revealed a new study conducted by Wisevoter, an American platform, placing the Kingdom at the 100th spot globally out of 158 countries evaluated.

The same platform indicated that despite progress in tobacco control efforts, smoking rates persist at significant levels. This raises public health concerns, especially considering the varied patterns observed across different countries.

Differences in smoking prevalence across regions are noticeable as well, with areas reporting higher rates than others.

Eastern European nations like Bulgaria, Greece, and Russia have consistently shown higher levels of smoking. This trend, according to the same source, is shaped by cultural practices, social attitudes, and the historical significance of tobacco production.

Wisevoter stated that some countries are notable for their alarmingly high rates of smoking, with Nauru, a small island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, leading the pack with almost half of its population (48.50%) being smokers.

Despite its small size and population, which is estimated to be no more than 13,000 as of 2023, Nauru grapples with addressing tobacco addiction and lowering the associated health risks that come with smoking.

Myanmar came in second with 44.1%, followed by Serbia, which has 39.80%. Papua New Guinea (39.3%), East Timor (39.2%), Bulgaria (39%), Lebanon (38.2%), Indonesia (37.6%), Latvia (37%), and Croatia (36.9%) trailed behind with the highest global smoking rates.

Within the Arab region, Jordan closely followed Lebanon as the second country with the highest smoking rate, exceeding 34%, positioning it 14th globally. Tunisia followed at 48th position, with a rate of 24.6%.

Egypt ranked 50th with a smoking rate of 24.3%, followed by Algeria at 21% and 75th globally. Yemen ranked 80th with a rate of 20%. Iraq followed at the 86th spot with 18.5%, and Kuwait trailed closely behind securing the 88th position with 17.9%.