Smoking prevalence increased continuously over the review period, mainly as a result of growing demand among the younger population for tobacco products, especially cigarettes and traditional water pipes. An increase in the number of female smokers was also a trend over the review period. Many young Iranian women began to consider smoking as a fashionable way of relaxing. The Iranian authorities announced that the consumption pattern of tobacco products has changed towards younger consumers, which was possibly a consequence of the limited awareness about the harmful effects of these products, as well as the improved availability of multinational cigarette brands.