Tobacco usage is a major contributor to a variety of health issues, resulting in an alarming number of deaths in Africa and around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 1.25 billion adults globally use tobacco products. Fortunately, the WHO reports that tobacco consumption rates are continuing to drop over the world.
Tobacco use remains a global health crisis, with severe consequences for individuals, communities, and economy. Despite growing awareness of its negative consequences, tobacco remains a primary cause of preventable death and disease.
According to the World Health Organization’s “WHO Global Report on Trends in Prevalence of Tobacco Use 2000-2030,” 150 nations have successfully reduced tobacco use.
“Good progress has been made in tobacco control in recent years, but there is no time to relax. I’m amazed by how far the tobacco business will go to maximize profits at the price of countless lives. “We see that the moment a government believes it has won the fight against tobacco, the tobacco industry seizes the opportunity to manipulate health policies and sell their lethal products,” says Dr Ruediger Krech, Director of the WHO Department of Health Promotion.
However, many individuals, notably those in Africa, continue to use tobacco heavily. With that said, here are the ten African countries with the greatest proportion of tobacco smokers.
| Rank | Country | WHO’s estimated number of current tobacco users (thousands) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Egypt | 18,183 |
| 2. | South Africa | 8 350 |
| 3. | Algeria | 6,665 |
| 4. | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 5,713 |
| 5. | Sudan | 4,597 |
| 6. | Madagascar | 4,585 |
| 7. | Morocco | 3,541 |
| 8. | Nigeria | 3,534 |
| 9. | Ethiopia | 3,372 |
| 10. | Kenya | 3,066 |