ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Erbil governor's office on Monday announced the destruction of more than 8,000 vaping devices as part of an ongoing, wide scale crackdown on e-cigarettes. Over 50,000 devices have been confiscated since the beginning of 2024.
In a statement posted on its official Facebook page, the governor's office stated that some “8,000 vapes that had been seized were destroyed today, as the campaign against e-cigarettes continues,” warning that any shop that sells or distributes such devices will be shut down and penalized.
Erbil launched its anti-vape campaign at the start of 2024.
Vaping products sold in markets across the Kurdistan Region are chiefly imported from China, Iran and Turkey. Prices range from as low as 1,000 Iraqi dinars ($0.7) to 100,000 Iraqi dinars (approximately $71).
Notably, in the Kurdistan Region, purchasing an e-cigarette does not require visiting a specialized vape shop. Many supermarkets openly display vapes both behind their counters and on open shelves near the cashiers.
Although often marketed as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes, vapes carry significant health risks. Vape aerosols contain nicotine - a highly addictive substance that is especially harmful to developing brains - as well as chemicals linked to severe lung conditions and inflammation.
Beyond respiratory issues, vaping has been shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease by elevating heart rate and blood pressure. Users are also exposed to toxic substances and heavy metals, which may contribute to long-term cancer risks and other chronic health problems.
In 2007, the Kurdistan Region parliament passed an anti-smoking law that banned smoking in public places. However, the law has yet to be effectively enforced.
Smoking remains highly prevalent in Iraq, including among the youth.
According to 2022 data from the Tobacco Atlas - a global public health initiative recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) - some 18.6 percent of Iraqis aged 15 and older smoke, as do 9.5 percent for youth aged 10 to 14 years.
Tobacco Atlas further estimates that more than 27,000 people die from smoking in Iraq each year.
