Around 20.2 percent of Egyptians over the age of 15 are smokers, according to figures released by state-run statistics agency CAPMAS on Tuesday.

The data, based on research from 2016, was published by CAPMAS in anticipation of World No Tobacco Day, which falls on Wednesday.

Of Egypt's total population of 93 million, an estimated 12.6 million are smokers, according to the data. The over-15 age group represents approximately 62 percent of the total population.

The World No Tobacco Day was launched by the World Health Organization in 1987 to encourage a 24-hour period of abstinence from all forms of tobacco consumption around the globe.

The theme for this year's no-smoking day on 31 May is "Tobacco – a threat to development".

According to the survey sample cited by CAPMAS, roughly 38.5 percent of males smoke, compared to 1.5 percent of females.  

Around 23.8 percent of those aged 25 to 44 are smokers.

Of Egyptians who are literate, approximately 31.5 percent smoke, while 14.5 percent of university graduates are smokers.

The statement also said that around 41.2 percent of business owners are smokers and 34.1 percent of wage earners.

Around 3.5 percent of the unemployed, consisting mostly of students and housewives, are smokers.

The income and consumption data for 2015 showed that about 23 million people were negatively affected by second-hand smoke from other members of their household.

On average, Egyptian families spend EGP 1,722 on smoking annually.

The average annual spending for households where all members smoke is EGP 3,968, with an average monthly spending of EGP 331.

Source: Ahram online