Warning About Tobacco and Electronic Cigarette Use Among Schoolgirls

One of the managers of the Ministry of Education reported an increase in the prevalence of tobacco and electronic cigarette use among girls. According to ISNA news agency, Somayeh Al-Sadat Ebrahimi, the director general of 'Educational Affairs, Counseling, and Protection Against Social Harms' at the Ministry of Education, stated that tobacco use ranks fourth among social harms and announced that the 'Tobacco Prevention' plan will be implemented in all schools across 32 regions to reduce tobacco use. This official, in gender-biased remarks, declared that the virtual space is a factor in diminishing 'feminine identity' and stated, 'We must move towards strengthening this feminine identity and delicacy.' Ebrahimi also identified the cultural environment of the country and parents as another factor contributing to girls' inclination towards tobacco use, claiming that 'parents neither see their children, nor talk to them, nor engage in dialogue; sometimes parents even do not know how to communicate with teenagers to gain their trust and create a safe haven at home.' Meanwhile, experts believe that the governance style of the Islamic Republic and the distancing of teenagers and youth from healthy recreational activities, along with various social, cultural, and even sports restrictions, are the main factors behind the increase in tobacco use among this group. In this regard, Mohammad Reza Sohrabi, the deputy health minister of Beheshti University, also stated on January 11 that 'the age of starting tobacco use in Iran has reached 9 years, and the younger the age of use, the harder it is to quit.' The president of the Iranian Internal Specialists Association also stated on December 6 that cigarette consumption in the country has reached children as young as ten, which poses a risk of these children moving towards drug use in the coming years. Hamid Reza Shahson, the secretary of the Iranian Tobacco Control Society, also stated in May of this year that cigarette production in the country has tripled compared to previous years and that the age of tobacco consumption in Iran has reached elementary schools. He also reported a 133% increase in cigarette use among women. This is while cigarette consumption in most countries around the world has significantly decreased compared to previous decades, and now the smoking population in the United States has reached its lowest historical level, at twelve percent of the total population, while this figure was 67 percent of all Americans in the 1960s. The age of starting tobacco use in Iran has reached 9 years. A doctor: Cigarette consumption in Iran has reached children as young as ten. The deputy health minister reported an increase in the use of 'cigarettes and hookahs' among students. About 52% of 'weed' users are aged 15 to 29. A new report: Global tobacco use statistics show a decrease; however, youth consumption has increased.