An expert has expressed serious concern at the increasing number of youngsters, particularly schoolchildren, getting addicted to smoking, and has urged the authorities to raise the prices of cigarettes.

Professor Mohammad bin Jabir Yamani, chairman of Naqaa society, said: “The percentage of smokers among young people varies from 13 to 15 percent. The number is rising among school-aged children also.”

He said that the society has treated around 10,000 smokers, of which 60 percent completely gave up smoking.

Yamani said female smokers in the Kingdom form less than 6 percent, and hoped that the number is on the decrease. The society is working to decrease the number of smokers through targeting public education.

He confirmed that the society is coordinating with other societies and the Ministry of Health to raise the price of tobacco products in the Kingdom because they are less than those in other parts of the world. “The low prices encourage many people to buy tobacco products, in addition to other activities, which calls for concentrating on the education sector.”

Yamani’s comments came during a meeting of the Naqaa general assembly and the budget of 2014 and 2015, and the opening of a new branch in Hafr Al-Batin.