http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/country/jordan.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://jordantimes.com/355-tickets-928-warnings-issued-for-smoking-ban-violations-in-2011 http://tobacco.org/news/332814.html The Ministry of Health issued 355 tickets last year against restaurants, fast food outlets, malls and hotels for violating the law that prohibits smoking in public places. Also last year, it issued 921 warnings against restaurants, malls and hotels and seven personal warnings against individuals for violating the smoking ban. Jordan Times Jordan Sun, 29 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/lifestyle-comment/after-amman-abu-dhabi-is-a-non-smokers-paradise http://tobacco.org/news/331921.html I turn into a crabby old lady whenever I attempt to go out in Jordan. This past week, Mr T and I were in Amman visiting my family and celebrating Eid. In between copious amounts of cardamom-infused coffee and pistachio-based Arabic sweets, all consumed in an opulent salon-setting surrounded by a steady stream of well-wishing visitors, the two of us managed to escape one evening to meet up with friends. I say "one evening" because it was exactly that: a single evening that was really only 30 minutes before I grumbled my way back home. You see, nowhere in Jordan is smoke free, and no one in Jordan is sans cigarette. This may sound as a gross exaggeration, but I stick by my conviction: compared with Abu Dhabi, Amman is a pungent ashtray. I have become so spoilt living in the UAE. . . . My poor husband is beginning to realise that visiting Amman is never going to be an opportunity for us to sample restaurants and visit cafes and explore everything the city has to offer. We'll just have to do that in Abu Dhabi instead. The National Newspaper Jordan UAE: Abu Dhabi Mon, 14 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://jordantimes.com/expert-warns-of-disaster--from-jordans-smoking-habit http://tobacco.org/news/331343.html Although there are no up-to-date surveys on the prevalence of tobacco smoking in Jordan, an expert warned that indicators show an increase in both the number of smokers and the diseases resulting from smoking. Dr Feras Hawari, chief of pulmonary and critical care and director of the cancer control office at the King Hussein Cancer Centre (KHCC), said smoking is responsible for 25 per cent of cancer cases among males in Jordan, including lung, head, neck, and bladder cancers, as well as the majority of chronic diseases including cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. If no action is taken to combat smoking, Hawari cautioned, "we will end up with a disaster on our hands". Figures he presented showed that 8,300 cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in 202 -- double the number currently diagnosed each year. He explained that smoking is the leading cause of chronic and noncommunicable diseases, followed by unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and excessive consumption of alcohol. In a recent interview with The Jordan Times, Hawari noted that non-communicable diseases were responsible for 2.2 per cent of deaths in Jordan 2002, but rose dramatically to account for 25 per cent of deaths in 2006. Jordan Times Jordan Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://JORDANTIMES.COM/?news=42811&searchFor=smoking http://tobacco.org/news/328154.html With cancer on the rise in the developing world, Arab oncologists should combine efforts to combat cancer in the region, experts said on Thursday. Hussain Khalid, vice president of Cairo University and dean of the affiliated National Cancer Institute, said that although cancer incidence is currently higher in developed countries, there is a trend towards higher rates in developing countries. "Developing countries register from 100 to 200 cancer cases per 100,000 of the population every year, compared to 300 to 500 cases per 100,000 in developed countries," Khalid told reporters yesterday, adding that 10 million cancer cases were registered globally in 2000, the majority in developed countries. This figure, he said, is expected to reach 16 million in 2020, but the majority of new cases are expected to surface in developing countries, where the high prevalence of smoking, poor diet and unhealthy lifestyles increase the risk of cancer. "This is a challenge for us, and we should come up with a prevention and early detection strategy," Khalid said in a press conference on the sidelines of the third Euro-Arab School of Oncology (EASO) Masterclass in Clinical Oncology in Amman. Jordan Times Jordan Mid-east Fri, 28 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://JORDANTIMES.COM/?news=42868&searchFor=smoking http://tobacco.org/news/328153.html A single session of smoking argileh causes a significant deterioration in heart and lung function, according to a recent study. Dr Feras Hawari, chief of pulmonary and critical care and director of the cancer control office at the King Hussein Cancer Centre and one of the study's authors, said it could also lead to an acute asthma attack, Conducted this month by the office, the study showed that the mean carbon monoxide level before smoking argileh among test subjects stood at 3.7ppm (parts per million) and rose to 24.4ppm post-test. The study covered 24 male subjects, who abstained from smoking argileh for at least 48 hours before the test. Jordan Times Jordan Sun, 30 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://JORDANTIMES.COM/?news=42484&searchFor=smoking http://tobacco.org/news/328152.html Approximately 25 per cent of smokers reportedly increased motivation to quit after viewing four new pictorials proposed to be displayed on cigarette packs sold in Jordan, according to a study. Conducted by the King Hussein Cancer Centre's Cancer Control Office, the study aimed to gauge the immediate perceptions of young adults towards these new pictorials and compare these perceptions to those of the graphics currently being used on cigarette packets sold in the country. Titled "Effect of Pictorial Warning in Jordan", the study was conducted as part of the Kingdom's commitment to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Under its adoption of the FCTC, in 2006 the Kingdom obliged local tobacco companies to include an image of diseased lungs on cigarette packs as an additional warning against the dangers of smoking. Jordan Times Jordan Fri, 21 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://jordantimes.com/?news=42484&searchFor=cigarette http://tobacco.org/news/327803.html Approximately 25 per cent of smokers reportedly increased motivation to quit after viewing four new pictorials proposed to be displayed on cigarette packs sold in Jordan, according to a study. Conducted by the King Hussein Cancer Centre's Cancer Control Office, the study aimed to gauge the immediate perceptions of young adults towards these new pictorials and compare these perceptions to those of the graphics currently being used on cigarette packets sold in the country. Titled "Effect of Pictorial Warning in Jordan", the study was conducted as part of the Kingdom's commitment to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Under its adoption of the FCTC, in 2006 the Kingdom obliged local tobacco companies to include an image of diseased lungs on cigarette packs as an additional warning against the dangers of smoking. Jordan Times Jordan Sat, 22 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://jordantimes.com/?news=41944 http://tobacco.org/news/327050.html In an attempt to protect her foetus from the dangers of passive smoking, Ruba keeps telling her colleagues to leave the office when they smoke, "but not all of them cooperate". The public sector employee, who is eight months pregnant, noted that although she works in an institution where smoking is prohibited, "no one abides by the law". . . . Although the Kingdom was one of the first countries in the region to enact a law that prohibits smoking in public places, the Ministry of Health is still facing difficulties in implementing the law, according to Sadeq Ghabashneh, who heads the smoking-related diseases department. "A lack of cooperation from other concerned authorities has affected the full implementation of the law, as we cannot be solely responsible for its enforcement," he told The Jordan Times over the phone yesterday, adding that the ministry could not reach an agreement with the Rangers to help enforce the legislation. Noting that 140 inspectors work with the ministry, Ghabashneh said "this number is not enough to conduct regular inspection campaigns in all public places". Jordan Times Jordan Tue, 04 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://jordantimes.com/?news=39268 http://tobacco.org/news/323054.html Smokers are finding it easier to nurture their habit thanks to the growing number of tobacconists in the capital, coupled with weak enforcement of the smoking ban, according to Amman residents interviewed by The Jordan Times. Smokers can buy tobacco and "smoking accessories" with minimum effort, as the number of tobacconists in the city rises every year, they said. About 170 shops are licensed by the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) to sell smoking accessories and tobacco in Amman, most of them on main streets and shopping areas. It is quite common to see three or four tobacconists on the same street, noted Hassan Rabih, 52, a resident of the west Amman suburb of Rabiyeh. . . . According to the King Hussein Cancer Centre, over the past decade the number of cancer cases increased by 35 per cent and 99 per cent of them were smokers. Several Amman residents described these figures as frightening, and called on the government to exert more efforts to combat this "phenomenon". Jordan Times Jordan Fri, 08 Jul 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://jordantimes.com/?news=37997&searchFor=smoking http://tobacco.org/news/322045.html May 31 is the international "World No Tobacco Day", meant to encourage a 24-hour period of abstinence from all forms of tobacco consumption across the globe and to draw global attention to the widespread prevalence of tobacco use and its negative health effects. This pernicious habit currently leads to 5.4 million deaths worldwide annually, so the day might be a good opportunity to raise awareness to the phenomenon and its often-deadly consequences. . . . Unfortunately, Jordan cannot feel proud of its measures against smoking as its ambitious legislation against it in public places remains words, not deeds. The Ministry of Health, which is spearheading the national campaign against smoking and doing its best to raise awareness about tobacco-related diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular ailments, is complaining in the open that other ministries are simply not cooperating with its drive against smoking in public places. . . . When 34 per cent of our physicians - the educated individuals aware of the bad effects of the habit - smoke, as confirmed by the Ministry of Health, we should fear the worse. The campaign against smoking has to be taken more seriously, and this calls for the full cooperation of all stakeholders, including the ministries and the private sector. Jordan Times Jordan Tue, 31 May 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=38204 http://tobacco.org/news/321066.html Approximately 61 per cent of Jordanian families have one member who smokes one type of tobacco, including cigarettes, pipe, cigar and argileh, a study conducted by the Department of Statistics (DoS) found. The study results, released on Sunday, showed that cigarettes are the most common type of tobacco among Jordanian smokers, as cigarettes are the choice of 96 per cent of smokers. The survey indicated that 74.5 per cent of the families surveyed have one member who smokes, 17 per cent have more than a smoker, while 72 per cent of families are not familiar with the passive smoking concept. As for spending on smoking, the study, which was conducted in 2010, showed that 49 per cent of families spent JD2 or less per day on tobacco. Jordan Times Jordan Mon, 06 Jun 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=37659&searchFor=tobacco http://tobacco.org/news/320869.html The Ministry of Health will intensify its campaign to crack down on smoking in public places starting next week, a senior government official said on Thursday. Minister of Health Yassin Husban said the ministry has sent a circular to public institutions requesting them to implement a complete smoking ban in their buildings. "And if they do not, we will not be lenient," he told The Jordan Times. Smoking is a leading cause of several non-communicable diseases, including cancer and diabetes, which lead to increasing the cost of treatment due to the high prevalence of these diseases, according to the minister. Jordan Times Jordan Fri, 20 May 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=38018&searchFor=tobacco http://tobacco.org/news/320868.html Jordan's compliance with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) still faces some challenges, a Ministry of Health official said on Monday. Malek Habashneh, director of the ministry's awareness department, said the smoking ban in public places, prohibition of tobacco sales to minors and creating more public awareness on the risks of smoking are some of the challenges facing the country in fully implementing the FCTC. He noted that although Jordan was the second country in the region to endorse the convention after Qatar, "more efforts should be exerted to guarantee implementation". However, the Kingdom has achieved other FCTC obligations including the endorsement of a national law that combats smoking, carrying out the required studies on the prevalence of tobacco and placing health warnings on cigarette packets, according to Habashneh. Jordan Times Jordan Tue, 31 May 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=37997&searchFor=tobacco http://tobacco.org/news/320866.html The Ministry of Health, which is spearheading the national campaign against smoking and doing its best to raise awareness about tobacco-related diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular ailments, is complaining in the open that other ministries are simply not cooperating with its drive against smoking in public places. The ministry pointed an accusing finger at the educational system, amidst revelation that smoking is prevalent among the very young in the country. The latest statistics point to the shocking fact that 14 per cent of children between the ages of 13 and 15 are smokers in Jordan. This is indeed vexing, and points to a worrisome trend. It also means that the message against smoking is not getting across the way it should. When 34 per cent of our physicians - the educated individuals aware of the bad effects of the habit - smoke, as confirmed by the Ministry of Health, we should fear the worse. The campaign against smoking has to be taken more seriously, and this calls for the full cooperation of all stakeholders, including the ministries and the private sector. Jordan Times Jordan Tue, 31 May 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=37948&searchFor=smoking http://tobacco.org/news/320865.html AMMAN - Lack of cooperation among concerned parties is delaying a complete enforcement of the smoking ban in public places, a Ministry of Health official said on Sunday. Malek Habashneh, director of the ministry's awareness department, said full implementation of the Public Health Law that prohibits smoking in public places requires the cooperation of several authorities and people themselves. "We need the help of other ministries to implement the law, otherwise it will take us years to reach our goal," Habashneh said, noting that the Ministry of Education should monitor children in schools, and the Ministry of Interior should crack down on those who sell cigarettes to students outside schools. He added that the health ministry alone cannot combat smoking . . . "We addressed the education ministry several times, but there is not much cooperation," Habashneh said in a press conference yesterday to mark World No Tobacco Day Jordan Times Jordan Mon, 30 May 2011 04:00:00 GMT