In Syria, traditional smokeless tobacco is legally allowed and regulated as a tobacco product. As of the latest available information, the product is legal to sell and legal to use, and it can also be purchased online. However, a complete ban on all advertising is in place. Health warnings on packaging are required by law, and a minimum age restriction of 18 years is enforced for the sale of traditional smokeless tobacco.
Product promotion
- WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-syr.pdf?sfvrsn=eaeb3c1f_3&download=true. 16 May 2025.
Regulation
- Tobacco Control Laws. Legislation by Country/Jurisdiction Syria. Available at: https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/syria/sales-restrictions. Accessed: 30 May 2025.
- WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-syr.pdf?sfvrsn=eaeb3c1f_3&download=true. 16 May 2025.
Availability
- WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-syr.pdf?sfvrsn=eaeb3c1f_3&download=true. 16 May 2025.
- Tobacco Control Laws. Legislation by Country/Jurisdiction Syria. Available at: https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/syria/sales-restrictions. Accessed: 30 May 2025.
Regulations and restrictions
- WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-syr.pdf?sfvrsn=eaeb3c1f_3&download=true. 16 May 2025.
Publications
Tobacco Harm Reduction: A Burning Issue for Asia
Harry Shapiro
The focus of this GSTHR briefing is Asia. Sixty per cent of the world’s smokers live in this region and almost half the global deaths from smoking occur here. Asia is also home to nine in every ten users of smokeless tobacco (SLT), leading to high rates of oral cancer. In a number of countries, public health is severely undermined where governments either control or have a significant stake in domestic tobacco companies. New solutions are needed to tackle the public health threat from smoking and tobacco use - but safer nicotine products are banned in many countries. Would tobacco harm reduction improve public health in Asia? And if so - what are the obstacles that stand in its way?
The formal launch event for the briefing took place online on Sunday 18 April 2021 and was co-hosted with Association of Vapers India.
