400 million dollars economic gains for Lebanon when applying tobacco control recommendations

The study indicated that the annual cost of tobacco consumption in Lebanon is about 140 million dollars, representing 1.9% of the gross domestic product. This cost includes health care expenses, low productivity, and human development losses.

She highlighted that the economic benefits of implementing tobacco control policies exceeded the costs of implementation, as the benefits are estimated at 15.2 trillion Lebanese pounds compared to only 177 billion pounds of costs.

The study was launched during a ceremony held in Beirut under the patronage and presence of the Minister of Public Health in Lebanon, Dr. Rakan Nasser Al -Din, and the participation of experts and destinations concerned in the field of public health and economic development.

Minister Nasser Al -Din confirmed that “Anti -tobacco use is not only a healthy priority, but an effective economic investment,” stressing that smoking does not only harm public health, but the health system exacerbates huge financial burdens and reduces productivity.

Lebanon is ranked first in the region in terms of the high rate of smoking, as Dr. Abdel Nasser Abu Bakr, representative of the World Health Organization in Lebanon, stressed the need to take decisive measures to protect public health and the national economy.

He added that “The integration of tobacco control into economic recovery plans will be very important to help Lebanon achieve its economic goals.”

The study issued the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, the World Health Organization, and the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the United Nations Development Program.

Dr. Adriana Blanco Marqueso, head of the Secretariat of the World Health Organization, highlighted that “Promoting tobacco control in Lebanon is not only a health necessity, but is an economic opportunity that should be seized.” She called for decisive measures to improve the lives of Lebanese citizens and direct resources towards development priorities.

For his part, Thaer Al -Sharida, Deputy Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program, stressed the need to “reform policies and legislative progress to protect public health and advance sustainable development”, stressing the program’s commitment to support Lebanon.

He said: “Lebanon has made progress in the field of tobacco control, but more work is needed to protect public health and advance sustainable development.”

The study recommends taking several basic measures, including:

• Enhancing taxes on tobacco products,

• Create public places free of smoking,

• Place healthy warnings on tobacco packages,

• Encouraging quit smoking by training health professionals,

• Promote multi -sectors coordination to combat tobacco.

It is noteworthy that more than 9,000 people die annually in Lebanon due to the tobacco -related diseases, which represents more than a quarter of the total deaths in the country.

Although Lebanon has joined the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control since 2005, the study stresses the need to take additional steps to ensure full benefit from the advantages of the agreement.