JEDDAH, 28 November 2004 — Dar Al-Hekma Private Girls’ College launched an anti-smoking awareness campaign yesterday in cooperation with Eman Cancer Society.
“The campaign is part of our Cancer Awareness Week because we have noticed that some of our staff and students smoke and we wanted to educate them on the harmful effects of smoking,” said Sawsan Al-Saied, director of health affairs at the college.
The college is taking the opportunity to educate those who smoke on the relationship between smoking and cancer. “We will have a lecture today (Sunday) at noon on the short-term and long-term effects of smoking, second-hand smoking and on the health of children of smoking mothers,” Al-Saied said.
According to recent statistics, there are more than 2,350 cases of lung cancer in Saudi Arabia of which 374 are Saudi women. “What is worrying is the increase in the number of women who smoke water pipe, thinking it is not as harmful as cigarettes,” said Al-Saied. “We point out to them that in the long run, water pipes can be just as harmful. ... An unclean pipe might also contribute to the transmission of hepatitis B and C.”
