The report launched today by the three implementing partners, presents the first comprehensive data on tobacco consumption and control measures in Egypt. It will create an opportunity for policy-makers as well as the tobacco control community at different levels to translate data into action through improved policies and programmes in different areas of tobacco control.

The Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) is a national household survey conducted in 2009 in all of Egypt’s governorates, covering both males and females, aged 15 years and older, in a total sample size of 23 760. The implementation of the survey and the production of its final report were a collaborative effort between the implementing partners: the Ministry of Health, Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics and the World Health Organization.

The report summarizes the major findings of the survey. Results are presented in six chapters that address key survey findings, through topic areas covered by the survey questionnaire, which include: tobacco use, cessation, second-hand smoke, tobacco economics, media, and knowledge, attitudes and perceptions towards tobacco use.

Many previous studies have been published to monitor adult tobacco use but to-date, no single national report has existed containing such comprehensive evidence-based data on tobacco use and control measures in Egypt. This report paves the way for the implementation of evidence-based policies and measures guided by documented facts, a few examples of which are discussed below:

• Egyptian males are the main tobacco consumers; where 38% of Egyptian males use some form of tobacco products. This percentage increases to 46.1% and 48.9% among the most productive age groups 25–44 and 45–64 years, respectively. The most commonly used tobacco product among Egyptian males is cigarettes with a high average consumption rate of one pack per day.

• Exposure to second-hand smoke is high; where nearly 56.2% of shisha users smoke shisha at home, while only 35.9% smoke shisha in cafes. Smoking in public places in Egypt is prevailing where it is estimated that 80.0% of Egyptians are exposed to second-hand smoke in public transportation, more than 70.0% of them are exposed in restaurants, while about 49.0% are exposed to second-hand smoke in health care facilities.

• Emergence of new tobacco products in the Egyptian market; use of smokeless tobacco (chewed tobacco) was uncovered. This is the first time in a national survey that this form of tobacco use has been identified as a public health concern in Egypt. Usage of ‘chewed’ tobacco was shown to be as high as 5.0% among males and 0.3% among females.

• Implementation of an effective cessation programme at national level; which is one of the priority needs. The report showed that more than 41.0% of smokers have attempted to quit at some point. Of those, only 17.9% successfully managed to quit smoking.

The Egypt GATS Country Report is considered to be the official baseline record for the current national tobacco status and tobacco control measures in Egypt. It reflects to-date the status of the implementation and enforcement of: anti-tobacco legislation; articles and guidelines of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control; and the MPOWER Effective Strategies for Tobacco Control. The government is encouraged to undertake national tobacco control interventions based on findings revealed by the Egypt GATS.