Yemeni Lives going up in Smoke
Posted in: Reports
Written By: Hakim Almasmari
Yemen has made a few feeble attempts to reduce smoking. In 2005, the Parliament discussed introducing a ban on smoking in public places and banning advertisements supporting tobacco products. It also talked about banning the import, manufacture, and sale of tobacco, and recommended that the public be made more aware of the threats of smoking. But one doesn’t have to wander far in Yemen to realize that none of this has come to pass. Smoking seems nearly ubiquitous, and men quite cavalierly light up in buses, taxis, restaurants, and on the street.
Cigarettes are cheap in Yemen. Tobacco is now being made here, which makes it even easier and cheaper to obtain. A pack of smokes can cost as little as 30 cents, or 60 YR. “It is so easy to get cigarettes in Yemen, every corner store sells them, even street sellers have them, along with the chocolates they sell to the people,” said Sabri Abdul Samad al-Askari of Sana’a, a father of four who does not smoke, and will not allow his kids to smoke, even though they have reached the age of 18.
Traditionally, smoking has been mostly the province of men. But in the last four years, women have begun to light up as well, though they still make up a minority of smokers. It has historically been considered a shame and disgrace for women to smoke in Yemen. Today, that seems to be changing, as more and more women are becoming smokers in Yemen. Young girls start smoking as early as 14, and peer pressure influences them to start at a young age. According to Health Promote International, 27 percent of males in Yemen currently are smokers, while 10 percent of females are smokers.
Five years ago, only 4 percent of women smoked, according to Health Promote International. That means the number of female smokers has more than doubled in that time. “Most of the smoking among women happens due to peer pressure because females want to feel as part of a group and never want to be looked at as a lonely person,” said Moneera Ali al-Sabahi, a pharmacist in Sana’a.
Al-Sabahi said that pressure on females from their families is also a major reason for the spread of smoking among women. The stress of social constraints may lead women to smoke as a way of coping with depression and anxiety. “Smoking is better than suicide in cases of depression. These days depression is very widespread, and I would rather see them smoking than risking their life for simple problems,” she said. People in Yemen consume YR 120 billion worth of cigarettes yearly, said Abdullah Alfa, secretary-general of the national society for fighting smoking.
This number might seem small next to the hundreds of billions of dollars spent by other countries on cigarettes. But Yemen is poorer than most other countries, so the money spent on smokes takes an even greater toll on the economy—and puts enormous pressure on the healthcare system, which costs the country even more money. According the latest Human Development Report, Yemen ranked 150th out of a total 177 countries in the development of its people. The country has tumbled four places in the list since last year.
In fact, Yemen placed dead last in development out of all the countries of the Middle East. “When it comes to cigarettes and qat, (a stimulating drug in the form of a leaf chewed regularly in Yemen), people tend to find ways to have money to spend, whereas, it is difficult for us to spend money easily on other matters, including personal needs,” said Nabil Ali Ahmad, a construction worker employed at the Presidential Mosque in Sana’a, who spends an average of YR 15,000 a month on qat and smoking. “I spend nearly 70 percent of my salary on those two things, and they come as a priority, because they ease the pain that I get from everyday life.”
Sameera Nasser Ahmad, a 23-year-old university student, believes that most women who smoke do so without the direct knowledge of family members, for fear of their disapproval. She added that she thinks that most women start smoking either because of peer pressure in school, or just to look different and cool in front of others. “I smoked for nearly three months during my first year of university without the knowledge of my family. I did not want to smoke but I felt that I had to because of my friends. When I decided to lose those friends I quit smoking as well,” said Ahmad.
Written By: Hakim Almasmari
Yemen has made a few feeble attempts to reduce smoking. In 2005, the Parliament discussed introducing a ban on smoking in public places and banning advertisements supporting tobacco products. It also talked about banning the import, manufacture, and sale of tobacco, and recommended that the public be made more aware of the threats of smoking. But one doesn’t have to wander far in Yemen to realize that none of this has come to pass. Smoking seems nearly ubiquitous, and men quite cavalierly light up in buses, taxis, restaurants, and on the street.
Cigarettes are cheap in Yemen. Tobacco is now being made here, which makes it even easier and cheaper to obtain. A pack of smokes can cost as little as 30 cents, or 60 YR. “It is so easy to get cigarettes in Yemen, every corner store sells them, even street sellers have them, along with the chocolates they sell to the people,” said Sabri Abdul Samad al-Askari of Sana’a, a father of four who does not smoke, and will not allow his kids to smoke, even though they have reached the age of 18.
Traditionally, smoking has been mostly the province of men. But in the last four years, women have begun to light up as well, though they still make up a minority of smokers. It has historically been considered a shame and disgrace for women to smoke in Yemen. Today, that seems to be changing, as more and more women are becoming smokers in Yemen. Young girls start smoking as early as 14, and peer pressure influences them to start at a young age. According to Health Promote International, 27 percent of males in Yemen currently are smokers, while 10 percent of females are smokers.
Five years ago, only 4 percent of women smoked, according to Health Promote International. That means the number of female smokers has more than doubled in that time. “Most of the smoking among women happens due to peer pressure because females want to feel as part of a group and never want to be looked at as a lonely person,” said Moneera Ali al-Sabahi, a pharmacist in Sana’a.
Al-Sabahi said that pressure on females from their families is also a major reason for the spread of smoking among women. The stress of social constraints may lead women to smoke as a way of coping with depression and anxiety. “Smoking is better than suicide in cases of depression. These days depression is very widespread, and I would rather see them smoking than risking their life for simple problems,” she said. People in Yemen consume YR 120 billion worth of cigarettes yearly, said Abdullah Alfa, secretary-general of the national society for fighting smoking.
This number might seem small next to the hundreds of billions of dollars spent by other countries on cigarettes. But Yemen is poorer than most other countries, so the money spent on smokes takes an even greater toll on the economy—and puts enormous pressure on the healthcare system, which costs the country even more money. According the latest Human Development Report, Yemen ranked 150th out of a total 177 countries in the development of its people. The country has tumbled four places in the list since last year.
In fact, Yemen placed dead last in development out of all the countries of the Middle East. “When it comes to cigarettes and qat, (a stimulating drug in the form of a leaf chewed regularly in Yemen), people tend to find ways to have money to spend, whereas, it is difficult for us to spend money easily on other matters, including personal needs,” said Nabil Ali Ahmad, a construction worker employed at the Presidential Mosque in Sana’a, who spends an average of YR 15,000 a month on qat and smoking. “I spend nearly 70 percent of my salary on those two things, and they come as a priority, because they ease the pain that I get from everyday life.”
Sameera Nasser Ahmad, a 23-year-old university student, believes that most women who smoke do so without the direct knowledge of family members, for fear of their disapproval. She added that she thinks that most women start smoking either because of peer pressure in school, or just to look different and cool in front of others. “I smoked for nearly three months during my first year of university without the knowledge of my family. I did not want to smoke but I felt that I had to because of my friends. When I decided to lose those friends I quit smoking as well,” said Ahmad.
Currently, there are some 1.2 billion smokers around the world. Most—some 800 million—live in developing countries, where cigarette smoking is spreading the fastest. In Yemen, most of the smoking is done by men. A study conducted by Hadramout University researchers in 10 secondary schools showed that none of the female teachers smoked. But some 14 percent of male teachers smoked. The highest rate of smoking was seen in male teachers over 50 years old (17 percent), in those who taught social subjects (18 percent) and in those who had a secondary school education (46 percent).
Still, the smoking rates of teachers were lower than those of the society at large. Only some 8 percent of teachers overall were smokers, perhaps because they have more education than the general public and are more aware of the risks. In 2004, more than 5 million people died worldwide from smoking, according to a recent study published in The Lancet medical journal. That number included 2.61 million people in developing countries and 2.39 million in wealthier nations.
Newly developing countries such as Yemen seem to be the most at risk of smoking, as forecasts predict that 70 percent of the 10 million people expected to die yearly by the year 2025 will be from developing countries. About 87 percent of lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking. Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death among both men and women, and is one of the most difficult cancers to treat.
Based on data collected from 1995 to 1999, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that adult male smokers loose an average of 13.2 years of life and female smokers loose 14.5 years of life—all for the ephemeral thrill of inhaling a cloud of nicotine.
Still, the smoking rates of teachers were lower than those of the society at large. Only some 8 percent of teachers overall were smokers, perhaps because they have more education than the general public and are more aware of the risks. In 2004, more than 5 million people died worldwide from smoking, according to a recent study published in The Lancet medical journal. That number included 2.61 million people in developing countries and 2.39 million in wealthier nations.
Newly developing countries such as Yemen seem to be the most at risk of smoking, as forecasts predict that 70 percent of the 10 million people expected to die yearly by the year 2025 will be from developing countries. About 87 percent of lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking. Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death among both men and women, and is one of the most difficult cancers to treat.
Based on data collected from 1995 to 1999, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that adult male smokers loose an average of 13.2 years of life and female smokers loose 14.5 years of life—all for the ephemeral thrill of inhaling a cloud of nicotine.
posted by Gulfoncology at
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