RAMALLAH, May 30, 2012 (WAFA) – A new survey by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) showed that 22.5% of individuals age 18 years and up in the Palestinian Territory were smokers in 2010, divided into 26.9% in the West Bank and 14.6% in the Gaza Strip, a joint press release by PCBS and Ministry of Health said Wednesday.

Celebrating International Day of Giving up Smoking (No Tobacco Day), the PCBS said percentage of male smokers at the age between 15 to 65 years in the Palestinian Territory reached 37.6% against 2.6% of female smokers, distributed into 43.6% male and 4% female in the West Bank, in comparison to 26.9% male and 0.2% female in Gaza Strip.

The Ministry of Health said lung cancer caused from smoking was the second cause of cancer-related deaths in the Palestinian Territory.

R.Q./M.S.