Morocco celebrated last Sunday the 31st of May the International day without Tobacco. This event has a particular dimension in Morocco especially that the Moroccan government is preparing a law prohibiting smoking in public places and the sale of cigarettes to minors less than 18 years.

The measures are then merciless against those who dare to deride the law. Smoking a cigarette in a public place will incur a fine of 100 dirham ,11 Euros and double that for a repeat offence. The penalty will rise to 500 dirham about 55 Euros for those in charge of public places who themselves break the law. Fines of up to 10,000 dirhams,1000 Euros, will also be incurred by cigarette manufacturers if packs fail to carry health warnings.

Meanwhile the sale of cigarettes to minors is also prohibited and punishable by a fine of 2000 dirham, 200 Euros and in case of recurrence 5000 dirham, 500 Euros with the possibility of withdrawal of license for the office of tobacco is the sentence reserved to those who are guilty of having not respected the dispositions of the law. Half the collected fines will be paid to the associations to educate citizens in harm of smoking.

Morocco is one of the largest tobacco-consuming countries throughout the Mediterranean region with more than 15 billion cigarettes smoked every year, According to a survey by the Moroccan Ministry of Health, about 35% of men over age 20 are smokers. Another survey has shown that over 15% of schoolchildren between 13 and 15 years of age are smokers. The age at which they begin varies, with almost 13% starting by the age of 15.

Several studies showed the close link between tobacco and the emergence of certain serious and chronic illnesses such as cancer and respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Each year smoking kills 8 million people in the world.