KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised concerns over the rising tobacco use in Afghanistan, revealing that one in every four adults now uses tobacco products.
Marking World No Tobacco Day on May 31, WHO stated in a message on X that smokeless tobacco is the most commonly used form, particularly among teenage boys in Afghanistan.
The agency called for urgent action to end the cycle of addition and protect future generations.
“Tobacco companies mask harm with sweetened lies – flavors, glamour, and false safety,” said Dr. Edwin Ceniza Salvador, WHO representative in Afghanistan. “They use misleading strategies to lure new users and keep current ones addicted – fueling disease and poverty.”
The WHO says tobacco remains one of the leading causes of preventable death worldwide, inflicting significant harm on individuals, families, and communities.
World No Tobacco Day was established in 1987 by WHO member states to draw global attention to the tobacco epidemic and the preventable death and disease it causes. It is observed every year on May 31 to raise awareness, encourage quitting, and press policymakers and governments to take action.
In Afghanistan, tobacco use remains widespread. There is no effective national policy in place, and low levels of public awareness contribute to thousands of deaths each year.
Data from the Tobacco Atlas shows that more than 9,000 people die annually from smoking-related illnesses in Afghanistan. The economic burden is also significant. The total cost of smoking and tobacco use in the country is estimated at over 9.2 billion Afghanis — roughly $130 million every year.
