Abdul Rahman Al-Shamrani, chairman of Waaie (‘enlightened’) society to combat smoking in Najran, said a study of the society revealed a frightening number of smokers in the Kingdom. “About a third of the population of Saudi Arabia smoke,” the study said.
Al-Shamrani held a speech at the launch of the society’s campaign against smoking at Najran University. “If there are eight million smokers in the Kingdom, each consuming one pack at about SR5 a day, then the Kingdom annually spends over SR14 billion on cigarettes,” he pointed out.
University rector Muhammad Ibrahim Al-Hassan launched the campaign, titled Qudha (‘lead it’). The campaign was jointly organized by the society and the university’s deanship of student affairs. A number of government and private establishments participate in the weeklong campaign.
An exhibition was held on the occasion, in which a number of public and private institutions took part. Among many others, they included health affairs, the drug-combat police, the university hospital, the faculty of dentistry and the boy scouts.
The campaign included a special mobile clinic manned by specialist doctors to help smokers give up the habit. It also had a section for blood donation.
The exhibition will be open for four days and will include lectures, seminars, cultural competitions and other activities.
