Molokhia cigarettes: Gaza’s toxic alternative to tobacco

Article excerpt

As tobacco prices soar in Gaza, desperate smokers are turning to molokhia, a leafy vegetable traditionally used in cooking, rolled into cigarettes and laced with nicotine. The improvised smokes deliver a dangerous cocktail of unknown additives and contaminants, creating a public health crisis among a population already reeling from economic collapse. Health officials warn the practice causes severe respiratory damage, yet users persist because genuine cigarettes have become unaffordable luxuries. The shift reveals how scarcity forces populations into increasingly risky survival choices.