For years, waterpipe smoking was believed to be safer than
cigarettes, based on the myth that water filters toxins.
Our research proved the opposite: a single session can
expose users to high levels of carbon monoxide, fine particles, and
carcinogens—often exceeding cigarette exposure. As science reveals these harms,
the tobacco industry keeps reinventing nicotine delivery—from e-cigarettes to
heated tobacco and nicotine pouches—marketed as modern or “reduced-harm”
products that attract youth.
This constant rebranding is a strategy to sustain
addiction under new names. Our work has supported regulation in several
countries. Yet in Lebanon, despite Law 174, enforcement gaps and monopolistic
interests have hindered effective control—an issue we will address in this
talk.
Dr.
Najat Aoun Saliba is an environmental scientist and a Member of the Lebanese
Parliament (since 2022), internationally recognized for advancing science-based
policymaking, environmental protection, and governance reform. She serves on
the parliamentary Environment Committee. Prior to public office, she was a
professor of chemistry at the American University of Beirut, where her research
on air pollution, tobacco smoke toxicity, and waste management made her one of
Lebanon’s most cited scientists, with over 160 publications and 8,000
citations.
Her
distinctions include the L’Oréal–UNESCO Award for Women in Science (2019), the
National Order of the Cedar, inclusion in the BBC’s 100 Most Influential Women
(2019), and Apolitical’s Most Influential People in Climate Justice (2021).
In
Parliament, she has submitted over 20 draft laws, posed 35 questions to
ministers, led extensive community investigations into environmental
violations, and co-led a 243-day parliamentary sit-in demanding constitutional
governance. As co-founder of the Environmental Action Unit, she continues to
bridge science, civic action, and accountability to build a fairer and more
sustainable Lebanon.
