Ministry of Youth and Sports Launches National "Sport Without Tobacco" Campaign
The Ministry of Youth and Sports has launched a national campaign called "Sport Without Tobacco" in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), with the aim of raising awareness about the dangers of smoking. This initiative is part of the "Urban Governance Initiative for Health and Well-being" and is in line with the framework agreement to develop an action plan to combat tobacco.
Today, Monday, October 13, 2025, the Director of the WHO office in Tunisia, Olfa Saïdi, was a guest on the Youm Saïd show on National Radio, where she warned about the dangers of smoking to human health, emphasizing that the world records 8 million deaths each year due to tobacco-related diseases, including 1 million people affected by passive smoking.
Campaign Objectives
The campaign focuses on raising awareness about the dangers of tobacco and encouraging sports practice as a preventive means to promote physical activity and quality of life, in addition to supporting young people to reduce their tobacco consumption. The campaign also includes organizing awareness days in sports centers and regional delegations, which will feature sports demonstrations, free medical check-ups, and awareness workshops in sports high schools. Awareness videos will also be broadcast on social media platforms with the participation of renowned athletes, doctors, public health specialists, and coaches to explain the immediate benefits of quitting tobacco.
Tobacco Consumption Among Youth
Olfa Saïdi explained that 22.8% of Tunisian adolescents aged 13 to 15 (30% of boys and 15% of girls) consume tobacco products, while 45% of children under 12 have already tried smoking, even if only once. She emphasized the need to revise laws to prohibit the sale of tobacco to children. She added that smoking causes 65,000 child deaths each year worldwide, with one-fifth of these deaths due to passive smoking, affirming that the campaign aims to protect children and young people from this dangerous health scourge.
Key Statistics
- 8 million deaths worldwide each year due to tobacco-related diseases
- 1 million people affected by passive smoking
- 22.8% of Tunisian adolescents aged 13 to 15 consume tobacco products
- 45% of children under 12 have already tried smoking
- 65,000 child deaths each year worldwide due to smoking
Campaign Goals
- Raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco
- Encourage sports practice as a preventive means to promote physical activity and quality of life
- Support young people to reduce their tobacco consumption
- Protect children and young people from the dangers of tobacco
