Under the title "Scary Images on Cigarette Packs Spark Controversy in Egypt," Sky News Arabia reported that certain warning images for smokers on cigarette packs have led to a crisis in Egypt, prompting the intervention of relevant government authorities to address the issue. A source in the tobacco division of the Egyptian Federation of Industries stated in remarks to Sky News Arabia that Egyptian customs halted a shipment of "heated tobacco" cigarettes due to non-compliance with the Ministry of Health's regulations, specifically the requirement to print warning images on cigarette packs.
The source noted that the shipment belonged to a major company operating in Egypt, which had not received official approvals for entry into the country yet. It is likely that the shipment will not be allowed entry at all, depending on the "legal actions of customs authorities" concerning the shipment. Cigarette companies are required to display images and warning phrases that some smokers deem "scary or shocking" as a condition for marketing their products. The Ministry of Health issues these directives in April each year.
### Smokers' Aversion
The reported violation seems to reflect a general behavior among smokers who tend to avoid purchasing cigarette packs adorned with images they find "repulsive and frightening." Instead, they seek packs with milder warning images and phrases, with some opting to cover the offensive images with adhesive tape. Ahmed Abdel Moneim, a government employee, told Sky News Arabia that he refrains from buying cigarette packs with pictures of throat or lung cancer patients. He spends significant time searching for packs that feature a "cockroach." He explained, "I am a smoker, but the image of a cockroach bothers me less than the image of a cancer patient or a damaged lung; my smoking will not stop because of an image... it’s just about feeling discomfort."
### International Agreement
Article (11) of the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control mandates that parties implement large and varied health warnings on all tobacco products and their packaging. The organization provides around 30 health warning images on its website for use by countries and parties within the Tobacco Risks Agreement. The warning images utilized by cigarette companies range from patients on ventilators, elderly individuals, warnings about heart and vascular diseases, images of damaged lungs, a mouth with blackened teeth, to a dead cockroach with a warning against using insecticides in tobacco production.
### Printing the Image... A Condition
According to a source from Sky News Arabia, foreign cigarette companies operating in Egypt cannot market any of their products without printing the requisite warning images, accompanied by warnings about the health hazards of smoking. The source affirmed that the shipment stopped by Egyptian authorities was the first of its kind, containing a new type of cigarette known as "heated cigarettes," which differ from traditional cigarettes, as they are smoked through an electronic device that "heats" rather than burns the tobacco.
One foreign company launched this product months ago after receiving approval from the relevant authorities, following a dispute among companies that reached the Egyptian Cabinet, leading to an order for the Ministry of Health not to permit any company to market the new product without displaying the warning image. The Egyptian government granted cigarette companies a six-month grace period to adopt a standardized requirement for all companies, meaning they must either print an image with a written warning or adhere to warnings on all circulating "heated" cigarette packs in Egypt.
### The Tobacco Market in Egypt
Ibrahim El-Emam, head of the tobacco division, stated to Sky News Arabia: "The smoking sector is crucial for the Egyptian economy, with tax revenues exceeding 70 billion pounds annually." He confirmed that the industry, despite its harms, represents a fundamental component of the Egyptian economy, and maintaining its stability is "ultimately in the interest of the treasury." He pointed out that the Egyptian market is "one of the fastest growing and consuming cigarette markets in the Middle East," estimating the annual consumption rate at about 80 billion cigarettes.
The Egyptian official noted that the consumption of "moassel" (shisha tobacco) and smoking shisha has relatively declined over the past year due to restrictions imposed by the coronavirus crisis on cafes. Reports from the Egyptian Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics indicate that Egyptian households spend 4.7 percent of their total annual expenditure on tobacco and smoking products. The tobacco production sector is one of the main sources of the public budget, with total collected taxes estimated at 67 billion pounds.
