Emergence of chewing tobacco in the population of Oriental, Morocco: A comprehensive study of determinants and associated risks

Chewing tobacco, an emerging form of smoking attracting attention because of its health damage. The current study aims to investigate chewing tobacco withing the population of Oujda, Morocco by elucidating specific parameters. This descriptive cross-sectional study, which included volunteers (n = 838) from different age groups and from both sexes living in Oujda city the capital of eastern Morocco. The collected results indicated that the prevalence of chewing tobacco was found to be 35.3%, with a sex repartition of 97.45% for men and 3.11% for women. The average initiation age was found between 16 and 20 years, covering 56.4% of the sample. The multivariate analysis carried out as part of this study revealed significant associations between numerous key variables including sex, profession , age and the age of chewing initiation in relation to chewing tobacco consumption. Also, a statistically significant associations was determined between these variables and the adoption of tobacco chewing. To diminish the prevalence of this growing habit among our population, it is crucial to enhance understanding of the risks linked to this practice and integrate awareness programs into educational curricula.