Tobacco.org

• Calls to Ban Smoking in Public Areas Increase; Locals Demand Right to Fresh Air 

According to a study recently released in Yemen, there are over 3.4 million smokers, of whom nearly 86 percent are adult males, while 29 percent of them are of the age group 17-24.

The Study pointed out that Yemen has the highest rate in the world, and nearly a decade earlier Yemen spent about YR 21.3 billion in tobacco. That number is likely to be much higher today.

Tobacco smoking is a major risk factor for tooth loss according to the study, which was designed to examine tooth durability and the patterns of tooth loss in smokers and nonsmokers in a selected age groups of Sana'a residents.

Radhwan, an 11-year-old, smokes cigars while washing cars in the capital. When the Yemen Post asked him why he chose to do so at a young age, he pointed out angrily," everyone can do whatever he likes and no one can be responsible for others. . . . I know what I am supposed to do, and smoking does not harm me but it rather helps me."

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[E]veryone can do whatever he likes and no one can be responsible for others. . . . I know what I am supposed to do, and smoking does not harm me but it rather helps me."
Radhwan, an 11-year-old who smokes cigars while washing cars in Sana'a, Yemen.