Market & legal data in the tobacco alternatives sector in Jordan

19th March 2025: Jordan: Yesterday (18th March), the government permitted the establishment of a cigarette factory as well as another factory for the manufacture of heated tobacco devices in the Aqaba Special Economic Zone. It should be noted that Jordan had previously banned, in 2021, the manufacture and production of cigarettes, tobacco and maassel in free zones and development zones, owing to smuggling operations on the northern and northeast borders.
14th March 2025: Jordan: Yesterday (13th March), the minister of government communication, Mohammad Momani, met with the World Health Organization (WHO) representative to Jordan, Jamela Al-Raiby, and discussed the results of the national survey on tobacco use prevalence, published in February 2025. The minister highlighted that the Ministry of Government Communication will enhance its media role in supporting efforts to combat smoking and mitigate its health and economic impacts. This will be executed through the development of a national plan to raise awareness about the dangers of smoking and the importance of combatting smoking in all of its forms.
12th March 2025: Middle East: The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean published a post on 11th March on the social media platform X that called on smokers to quit smoking, highlighting that smoking might decrease life expectancy by ten years.
10th March 2025: Jordan: On 8th March, the minister of higher education and scientific research met with the presidents of Jordanian universities and discussed a number of issues, including the universities' implementation of the recommendations that had been recently approved by the Higher Education Council related to combating tobacco and smoking on campus. The recommendations ask universities to establish strategies to ensure the prevention of smoking in all its forms within university buildings and facilities, including university transportation, and prohibit the sale of tobacco in all its forms on university premises and within 200 m from their external boundaries.
28th February 2025: Middle East: The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean posted that while smoking rates in the region are declining, there is still significant room for improvement. The WHO urged its Eastern Mediterranean Region member states to strengthen tobacco control measures, including smoking bans in public places, prominent health warnings, and enhanced support services for smoking cessation. Notably, the thread makes no reference to novel tobacco products such as e-cigarettes or heated tobacco products.
26th February 2025: Jordan: Today, the Ministry of Health released the results of the national survey on tobacco, which was conducted as part of the national strategy to combat tobacco use in all its forms. Health minister Firas Hawari “expressed concern” over the findings, media reports. The survey revealed that 53% of Jordanians are smokers, 71.2% of whom are males, and 28.8% are females. The survey highlighted that 51.6% of the sample population used one or more types of tobacco products, including cigarettes, shisha, e-cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and heated tobacco products (HTPs). A total of 7.2% use e-cigarettes or vaping devices, and 4.1% used HTPs, while 43% of the respondents reported that they smoked tobacco on a daily basis, including manufactured cigarettes, shisha, roll-your-own cigarettes and HTPs. Saliently, the survey revealed that 75% of non-smokers supported increased taxes on tobacco products, while only 33% of smokers were in favour of such an increase. Firas Hawari called on parents and institutions to raise awareness about the dangers of smoking in all its forms, while communication minister Mohammad Momani described the results as “dangerous, embarrassing and shocking”.
23rd October 2024: Jordan: Today, the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products enters into force, as shown in our compliance calendar. Minister of health Firas Al-Hawari said the treaty will enhance the effectiveness of health policies and help to end the illicit tobacco trade in all its forms, including production, possession, distribution, selling and purchasing.
18th October 2024: Jordan: The Cabinet, based on the recommendation of the Economic Modernisation and Development Committee of the Customs Authority, has issued a decision to create a new sub-clause in the customs tariff for tobacco products intended for inhalation through electronic or electrical devices that have not been fully manufactured and have been imported by factories as production inputs. According to the decision, these products are now subject to an import duty at a rate of 75%.
13th September 2024: Jordan: Yesterday (12th September), the government issued system 62/2024, amending the Special Tax System 80/2000. Under the new amendments, heated tobacco products (HTPs) are now subject to a tax of up to JOD0.90 ($1.27) per 20 sticks, while heated tobacco devices are subject to tax at a rate of JOD20 ($28) per unit. The amendments entered into force immediately.
29th August 2024: Jordan: The Ministry of Health announced it will be launching a campaign in September to ensure that retailers, premises and institutions are complying with the advertising and marketing restrictions on tobacco products as well as the public use restrictions.
1st August 2024: Jordan: Jordan officially ratified the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products on 25th July. The country’s accession to this protocol will enter into force on 23rd October. Minister of health Firas Al-Hawari said the ratification of the treaty would enhance the effectiveness of health policies and help to end the illicit tobacco trade in all its forms, including production, possession, distribution, selling and purchasing, press reports.
6th June 2024: Jordan: Adel Al Balbisi, head of the Jordan Centre for Disease Control (JCDC), announced that the centre has begun adopting new measures to combat tobacco use among youth, including refusing to grant retail licences to retailers operating within 250 m of schools, press reports. Al Balbisi said the centre’s long-term goal is to protect youth from tobacco addiction and the tobacco industry’s “aggressive marketing strategies”.

LATEST ALERTS

Alternative tobacco and nicotine products in Jordan

Global regulatory response to pouches and heated tobacco products ramps up

WHO reports drop in tobacco use despite industry ‘interference’ in achieving goals

More improvement needed – WHO report gives the world 7/10 for tobacco control

The Middle East: nicotine pouch market overview, October 2024

Jordan: heated tobacco regulation, May 2023

Jordan: oral tobacco and nicotine pouch regulation, May 2023

Regulatory report: Jordan – heated tobacco, June 2021

Heated tobacco markets database

Heated tobacco pricing tracker

Global regulatory tracker: heated tobacco regulation, March

Global regulatory tracker: nicotine pouches, March

Tamarind Intelligence Policy Radar, February

Sign up to our newsletter

LATEST ALERTS

Alternative tobacco and nicotine products in Jordan

Sign up to our newsletter

Start your FREE trial