Khaberni - The Jordan Medical Association, Jordan Dental Association, and Jordan Pharmacists Association announced the establishment of an effective national partnership within the "Smoking-Free Generation" initiative, launched by the Jordan Pharmacists Association in 2024.
The initiative is part of the royal directives which emphasize the priority of protecting the health of students and youth, and stems from the national role of healthcare professionals in enhancing public health.
The announcement of this partnership was supported by the head of the Medical Association Dr. Issa Al-Khashashneh, the head of the Dental Association Dr. Aya Al-Asmar, and the head of the Pharmacists Association Dr. Zaid Al-Kilani.
Representing the associations in these efforts were Dr. Tareq Al-Khatib and Dr. Mohammad Hassan Al-Tarawneh from the Medical Association Council, Dr. Abd Al-Ghani Al-Awamleh from the Dental Association, and Dr. Mariam Awad/ Director of the Initiative from the Pharmacists Association, in cooperation with national partners: the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Jordan Breast Cancer Program, and the Cancer Fighting Office at the Hussein Cancer Center.
This partnership comes amid alarming indicators of smoking prevalence in Jordan, where data suggests that the smoking rate is about 51%, placing Jordan among the highest globally, while 38.6% of smokers begin smoking before the age of 18.
The heads and representatives of the three associations confirmed that this partnership aligns with their professional and humanitarian message in enhancing public health and establishing a culture of prevention through integrated work among various health specialties.
The partnership aims to unify efforts by involving doctors, pharmacists, and dentists in unified educational and awareness programs targeting students and youth, as well as specialized advice to develop comprehensive training programs for health professionals on methods to support smoking cessation, highlighting the role of dentists in early detection of oral effects.
The associations emphasized the importance of active engagement of all professionals in the training programs of the initiative, to contribute to spreading awareness of the dangers of smoking and electronic smoking among youth and families, as they are the main foundation in building a healthy and sound society.
