Egyptians smoke '100 billion cigarettes a year' claims tobacco chief

Egyptians smoke around 100 billion cigarettes a year, the chief executive of Egypt’s largest cigarette manufacturer has said.

Eastern Company (EC) CEO Hany Aman said approximately 18 percent of the country's population are smokers, Arab News reported.

The amount would equate to every man, woman, and child in Egypt - population 100 million - smoking 1,000 cigarettes a year, or three a day.

If only regular smokers are included - the 18 percent cited by Hany - then this figure would be more than 5,555 a year, or 15 a day.

Aman's remarks come amid a spike in demand for cigarettes in Egypt, with consumers speculating that new taxes will soon be introduced.

Since June, the price of a pack of locally produced cigarettes has risen from 24 Egyptian pounds to 60 pounds, according to Egypt's Ahram Online.

EC produces 70 billion cigarettes per year, with a market share of around 75 percent in Egypt.

To curb the scarcity, EC has recently increased its production, Aman said. 

"I appeal to consumers to refrain from purchasing quantities beyond their actual needs and to avoid hoarding," he added, saying that prices should return to normal in 3 to 4 weeks.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), around 80 percent of the world's 1.3 billion tobacco users live in low- and middle-income countries.

Tobacco use is estimated to kill some 8 million people annually, 1.2 million of whom die as the result of being exposed to second-hand smoke.