[76917] Alarming increase in tobacco use among adolescent girls in Iran: 60,000 deaths per year

Alarming jump in tobacco use among young women in Iran

Alarming data were revealed today, May 31, 2026, by Mohammad-Reza Masjedi, secretary of the 'Anti-Tobacco Association' in Iran. According to a report by Iran International, Masjedi noted that although smoking rates among women are still lower than those of men, there has been a sharp and alarming increase among girls aged 13 to 15. According to a joint report by 'Tabriz Khabarlary' and the 'Akharin Khabar' website, this is an increase of about 135% compared to 2016.

In addition, Masjedi emphasized that about 20% to 24% of the entire population in Iran consumes tobacco products in some form. The Salamat Fouri channel quotes Masjedi as saying that "the tobacco industry is operating with the goal of attracting a new generation of consumers," which explains the alarming trend among teenagers.

At the same time, the official news agency IRNA reported on the heavy death toll in the country as a result of this habit. According to agency data, about 60,000 Iranians lose their lives every year due to diseases related to smoking – a figure that Masjedi compared to the "crashing of two passenger planes" every day. Globally, IRNA notes that over 8 million people die every year from the harms of tobacco.