RIYADH, 31 May 2007 — Madinah Gov. Prince Abdul Aziz ibn Majed will inaugurate a weeklong national program to observe World No Tobacco Day from the holy city today.
The Kingdom in cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO) has lined up a series of programs through its 20 health regions spread throughout the country. In Riyadh, Health Minister Dr. Hamad Al-Manie will kick off the program from his ministry headquarters on the same day and similar arrangements have been made in Makkah, Jeddah and Dammam.
“The day would promote 100 percent smoke-free environments as the only effective way to protect people everywhere from exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke,” said Dr. Abdullah Al-Bideihi, national coordinator of the Tobacco Control Program at the Ministry of Health.
“Tobacco is the second major cause of death in the world,” said Al-Bideihi. “It is currently responsible for the death of one in 10 adults worldwide (about five million deaths each year). If smoking patterns continue, it will cause some 10 million deaths each year by 2020. Half the people that smoke today — that is about 650 million people — will eventually be killed by tobacco.”
“We have chosen Madinah for our launch to give a spiritual emphasis to the Kingdomwide program. Under this program, we hope to target students, men and women of all age groups,” he noted.
He added that the ministry is particular that Madinah should be maintained as a showcase for a smoke-free environment for the benefit of the pilgrims that flock there. A similar policy is being encouraged in Makkah as well.
“The ministry has imposed a total ban on the sale of tobacco within the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah,” said Al-Bideihi. There are eight anti-smoking clinics in Madinah to help smokers give up their habit.
