Maghreb specialists call for harm reduction strategy to combat rising smoking rates

Health specialists from Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya convened in Tunis on June 2, 2026, for World No Tobacco Day, presenting an alarming assessment of the smoking situation in the Maghreb. They concluded that traditional anti-smoking policies have been relatively ineffective and are now calling for a pragmatic strategy incorporating harm reduction.

The experts described smoking as a major structural health threat to Maghreb countries. During a regional conference organized by the medical platform Med.TN, specialists in cardiology, pulmonology, and epidemiology emphasized the urgent need to rethink the fight against this cross-border epidemic. While smoking burdens low- and middle-income countries globally, the Maghreb faces particularly worrying recent trends, especially in Algeria, with an alarming "rejuvenation of the early age of initiation, with alarming cases of young people starting to smoke before the age of ten." This indicates that current prevention measures are failing to keep pace with societal changes.

Furthermore, a significant gap exists between smokers' desire to quit and the healthcare services available. In Algeria, for instance, "95% of smokers acknowledge the dangers of tobacco and express a need for help, yet only 3 out of 53 registered cessation centers are fully operational." This paradox highlights a critical lack of effective support.

The specialists clarified that the fight against smoking rests on three complementary pillars: prevention (stopping initiation), cessation (helping people quit), and harm reduction (offering alternatives for those who cannot or will not stop). They advocated for a more pragmatic integration of harm reduction, citing "the use of smokeless products such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, or nicotine pouches."

The experts issued a final call for regional action, believing that isolated national solutions have reached their limits. They urged Tunisian, Algerian, and Libyan authorities to "build a common framework." This framework should coordinate prevention, regulation, cessation, and, crucially, the explicit adoption of a tobacco harm reduction policy. Experts believe this approach offers the most promising path toward a significant and lasting reduction in smoking across the Maghreb.