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Rabat – Health Minister Amine Tahraoui announced a new national plan to address tobacco use, calling it one of Morocco’s most serious health concerns.
Speaking at the House of Representatives on Monday, he outlined efforts to reduce smoking and mitigate its widespread impact on public health and the economy.
Tahraoui detailed the restructuring of Morocco’s tobacco control program, initially introduced under the 2010-2019 National Plan for Cancer Prevention and Control, which made combating tobacco a priority.
The second phase of the plan, spanning 2020-2029, builds on earlier efforts with four new measures. This initiative is part of a broader strategy addressing non-communicable diseases and looks to cut tobacco consumption among those aged 15 and older by 20% by 2029.
Raising public awareness forms the core of this approach, with campaigns focused on educating citizens about the dangers of tobacco use.
The minister also shared alarming figures, saying that smoking accounts for 8% of deaths in Morocco, 75% of lung cancer fatalities, and 10% of deaths from respiratory illnesses.
A 2021 ministry study attributed 74,000 cases of cardiovascular disease and over 4,200 new lung cancer diagnoses in 2019 to tobacco use, which also caused 12,800 premature deaths that year.
Tobacco use takes a heavy financial toll on Morocco, costing the country over MAD 5 billion ($500 million) each year. This amounts to 8.5% of total healthcare expenditures and 0.45% of the national GDP.
The costs are largely attributed to direct medical care (60.9%), followed by loss of life (33%) and reduced productivity due to illness (6.1%).
Tahraoui called for urgent action, describing tobacco as one of the most significant avoidable causes of death.
“Every year, nearly 8 million lives are lost to tobacco worldwide. Morocco must take stronger steps to safeguard its population from this tragic reality,” he stated.
Read Also: 8% of Deaths in Morocco Attributed to Smoking, Says Minister of Health
