Morocco to Hike Taxes on Shisha and E-Cigarettes, Citing Health Concerns

A new series of taxes has been approved by the Finance and Economic Development Committee. Consumers will have to pay 675 DH for the shisha. This new tax "aims to preserve the health of consumers, especially young adults, and protect them against the negative effects of the consumption and addiction to these products," it is specified.

The Moroccan government also justifies its decision to increase the tax by studies from the World Health Organization (WHO) showing that smoking products containing a mixture of fruits and herbs without tobacco, used in shisha, pose a similar risk to tobacco products.

To impose the new tax, the government first voted to introduce an amendment to the 2023 Finance Bill, which aims to extend the tax base to include tobacco-free shisha and e-cigarettes.