Tobacco accounts for 8% of all deaths in Morocco and costs the country over MAD 5 billion annually, a heavy burden the government is working to reduce through intensified prevention efforts, Minister of Health Amine Tahraoui said during an oral question session at the Upper House on Monday.
Tahraoui stated that the government’s new cancer prevention plan, which aims to reduce tobacco use among people over 15 to 20% by 2029, is part of its strategy to tackle non-communicable diseases, Morocco’s Press Agency (MAP) reported.
The economic toll of tobacco on Morocco is staggering. In 2019 alone, tobacco use led to 74,000 cases of cardiovascular diseases and 4,227 new lung cancer cases.
Premature deaths linked to smoking reached 12,800 that same year. The total cost to the Moroccan economy exceeds MAD 5 billion annually, representing 8.5% of the nation’s healthcare spending and 0.45% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
This includes direct medical costs, the financial impact caused by death, and the loss of productivity due to illness.
In response, the government is rolling out a comprehensive national communication plan, aimed at raising awareness about the dangers of tobacco. Annual events, such as World No Tobacco Day, focus on educating citizens about the risks of smoking and providing information on quitting methods.
The ministry also held seminars and multimedia campaigns to highlight the harmful effects of tobacco and promote healthier alternatives.
Globally, tobacco use is a leading preventable cause of death, with the World Health Organization (WHO) estimating that nearly 8 million people die each year due to smoking-related diseases.