Fahd Al-Hodaili, acting director general of the Department for Combating Commercial Fraud at the ministry, said the ministry has so far not received any instructions to stop grocery stores from selling tobacco products.

In a letter sent to the Charity Society Against Smoking (Naqaa), Al-Hodaili advised the society to approach the Ministry of Health to take measures against smoking, Al-Riyadh newspaper reported.

Dr. Majed Al-Muneef, general supervisor of the anti-smoking program at the Ministry of Health, said the ministry, in coordination with concerned agencies, including the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, is striving to formulate regulations that would prevent the sale of tobacco products to children under 18.

He noted that Minister of Health Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah had earlier instructed the ministry officials to chalk out strict measures to stem the widespread sale of tobacco products, especially banning their sale to children, and containing the spread of cafés that serve sheesha or water pipes.

Several Saudi citizens, mainly parents, have been calling on Naqaa to interfere to prevent grocery stores from selling cigarettes and other tobacco products to children, said Suleiman Al-Sabyi, secretary-general of Naqaa.

“It is unfortunate that currently there is no law preventing grocery stores from selling tobacco products to those under 18. However, the absence of such a law does not prevent the ministry from taking steps aimed at protecting children,” he said.

He added that the society has been mounting continuous pressure on the authorities to enact a law preventing the sale of tobacco to children.

Al-Sabyi also noted that there are a number of countries, including Jordan and Japan, which have made the sale of tobacco products to those under the age of 18 a punishable offense.