JEDDAH, 1 March — The Anti-Smoking Charitable Society will launch a major campaign shortly to enhance public awareness on the hazards of smoking. “We try to protect our youth” is theme of the nationwide campaign, which is estimated to cost SR43 million.
The campaign will set off on March 15 from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam where 50 centers will be established to enlighten the public on the dangerous effects of smoking on health, economy and society. The campaign will be held with the support of public and private sectors.
The campaign is significant as it aims at checking the unprecedented increase in the number of smokers, making Saudi Arabia the No. 1 tobacco importer in the world. The Kingdom with a population of 22 million has almost 5.5 million smokers.
The Ministry of Commerce has estimated the annual consumption of tobacco in the country at 21 tons worth SR635.25 million.
Thanks to the concerted efforts by the government to support anti-smoking campaigns, cigarette imports, however, have declined considerably in recent years. They dropped from SR1.29 billion in 1991 to SR633 million in 1996.
The new campaign will focus on youth and students as, according to the charitable society, 35 percent of boys and 30 percent of girls in Saudi schools are smokers.
“We will try to encourage tobacco addicts to quit the self-destructive habit by telling them about the dangers of smoking,” a press statement by the society said.
Smoking causes cancer and heart diseases. Lung cancer ranks third in the list of fatal diseases in the Kingdom.
“The campaign is part of a long-term plan to exterminate this unhealthy habit from our society,” the statement said. There is already a Royal Decree banning smoking in public places, government departments and organizations as well as educational institutions.
The Commerce Ministry has prevented shops and establishments from selling cigarettes to children under 18.
The government has also set up a number of specialized clinics to help people kick the habit.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd won a special award last year from the World Health Organization in recognition of Saudi Arabia’s stepped-up campaign to combat the scourge.
The new campaign would feature lectures, seminars and exhibitions. Mobile clinics would introduce smokers to the most effective techniques of quitting the habit.
The launch of the campaign has been delayed for more than two years following a dispute between the society and the Supreme Committee for the National Campaign Against Smoking.
