Molokhia cigarettes: Gaza’s toxic alternative to tobacco

What Happened

In the Gaza Strip, an informal market has emerged for 'molokhia cigarettes' — a mixture of dried molokhia leaves and liquid nicotine — as residents, unable to afford or access traditional tobacco, turn to toxic substitutes. The shift is driven by a severe tobacco shortage and extreme inflation since Israel halted all tobacco imports at the onset of the 7 October 2023 war. According to Alaa Jundiya, a 27-year-old former carpenter and father of two, a single tobacco cigarette now costs 100 shekels ($34), and a pack can reach 500–600 shekels ($171–$205), making smoking unaffordable. Street vendors like Abdul Karim Heles, 36, sell molokhia-based cigarettes prepared by crushing dried leaves and adding liquid nicotine. The practice carries grave health risks: Dr. Ahmed Saeed al-Jadba, a consultant ENT specialist, reports patients with severe coughing, hoarseness, discoloured phlegm, and pre-cancerous vocal cord lesions, warning that the mixture may be more carcinogenic than traditional tobacco due to the addition of industrial substances such as pest-control agents or battery oils. Alaa Jundiya suffered a liquid nicotine spill on his skin that caused burns, unconsciousness, and nearly killed him; Abdul Karim Heles notes two market acquaintances died instantly after consuming nicotine. The molokhia cigarette has become a desperate response to economic collapse and blockade, with users aware of the dangers but compelled by addiction and stress.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The molokhia cigarette phenomenon illustrates the cascading humanitarian consequences of the Gaza conflict beyond direct violence. The Israeli blockade has collapsed the legal tobacco market, driving impoverished residents to a toxic, unregulated alternative that is causing acute and long-term health damage. This underscores how economic strangulation and scarcity can force a population into dangerous coping mechanisms, compounding the public health emergency in an already devastated enclave.

Watch For

Monitor whether the current ceasefire leads to the resumption of tobacco imports and an easing of prices, which could reduce the demand for molokhia cigarettes. Track official health ministry figures or NGO reports on respiratory illnesses, nicotine poisoning cases, and cancer rates linked to this practice. Observe if the phenomenon spreads further or if authorities intervene to regulate the makeshift market.