JEDDAH: Thousands of workers die annually as a result of inhaling the smoke of fellow-smokers during working hours. “What happens is non-smokers working in smoking environments inhale the tobacco chemicals throughout the day and suffer from the same health problems that smokers experience,” Dr. Ashraf Amir, a family medicine consultant, said at an anti-smoking awareness campaign launched by the Ministry of Health here on Monday night.
“Smoking is considered to be among the main habits that can help avoid death if they are stopped, as about 4,000 chemical elements rise in the air when tobacco is smoked. Non-smokers working in smoking environments inhale these chemicals throughout the day and suffer from the same health problems that smokers experience,” he said.
A recent poll, which included smokers and non-smokers, was conducted by a major online recruitment website. The poll revealed that an estimated 98 percent would like to ban smoking at their work environments.
Dr. Yasser Abdul Ra’ouf Abu Anza, head of medical insurance at BTAT Company, a subsidiary of Saudi Bin Ladin Group, stressed the benefits from stopping smoking at office facilities.
Dr. Magdi Mohsen, head of public relations at Pfizer Inc., also spoke on the occasion.
