JEDDAH: A Saudi citizen has filed a lawsuit against two tobacco companies asking for $10 million (SR37.5 million) in compensation for the health damages he suffered from smoking.

This is the second lawsuit from the Kingdom and considered the first personal case against tobacco companies in the Middle East, said Abdullah Seruji, executive director of the Smoking and Drugs Awareness Association.

He said a court in Jeddah has accepted the lawsuit from Abu Abdullah, a businessman.

The victim had throat cancer and went though a major surgery in King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh.

Seruji said the victim lost parts of his throat and vocal chords and he cannot talk any more except with the help of a special device.

He noted that this case, which is supported by the association, is inevitable because the victim’s medical report proved that his disease was due to smoking tobacco.

Seruji noted that Saudi citizens are no less important than American or European citizens where they file lawsuits against tobacco companies and win huge financial compensations.

The plaintiff told the association that he would build a hospital for treating tobacco addicts free of charge with the money that he hopes to win from the tobacco companies.