Morocco’s Government Approves Tax Raise on Shisha, E-Cigarettes

Morocco is preparing to increase taxes on waterpipes, commonly known as “shisha” and electronic cigarettes over concerns for public health.

Rabat – Morocco is preparing to increase taxes on waterpipes, commonly known as “shisha” and electronic cigarettes over concerns for public health.

Morocco’s Finance and Economic Development Committee reportedly approved the new round of taxes on Wednesday following a vote. The tax means that for every kilo of shisha smoking material, consumers would have to pay MAD 675 ($63).

To impose the new tax, the government first voted to introduce an amendment to the Finance Bill of 2023 that aims to extend the tax base to include shisha without tobacco, and electronic cigarettes.

In a statement reported in converging news reports, official sources say that the measure “aims to preserve the health of consumers, especially young adults, and to protect them against the negative effects of consumption and addiction to these products.”

The statement further explains that the imports of tobacco-free shisha are not subject to taxes, although they carry the same health risks as tobacco-based shisha.

The decision to raise the tax is based on research from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicating that smoking products containing a mixture of fruits and herbs without tobacco, used in (shisha), poses a similar risk to tobacco products.

In addition, the government cites WHO’s recommendations in enacting the “same restrictions and taxes on tobacco-free shisha as with tobacco products.”

“The European Commission classifies this category of products (herbal mixtures, aromatic herbs or fruits) as smoking products, similar to other tobacco-containing smoking products,” the statement adds.