Anti-smoking legislation adopted in Saudi Arabia six years ago not yet valid
Published on November 2, 2009 9:14 AM
click here to find out more
Cheapest prise best servise only on oralcigarettes.com
Saudi Arabia, well-known for its strict laws, has not yet implemented major public health legislation, aimed at reducing smoking rates and cracking down the tobacco industry.
Latest comprehensive anti-smoking legislation, which was adopted by the Government six years ago, in 2003, have not yet entered into effect. Moreover, according to Prof. Muniki Al- Nasser, vise minister of Public Health, there has been no established date to implement the regulations across the Kingdom.
Prof. Al-Nasser, who was the author of the anti-smoking regulations, said that the legislation should be thoroughly studied to close all the existing loopholes, and after that the Cabinet would set the exact date of the implementation. He mentioned that experts from different ministries, including Ministry of Finance and Commerce, Ministry of Public Health and Ministry of Youth have been examining the regulations together in order to make the legislation work in the most effective manner.
However, the delay raised criticism from many anti-smoking organizations, which stated that neighboring Middle East nations Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iran and even Iraq have already imposed similar measures prohibiting smoking in all public places.
Answering the question about the delay, Prof. Al-Nasser said that the delay and the amendments to the regulations have not been triggered by objections, but by the necessity to create proper laws.
Mohammad Al-Jaber, chairman of national Anti-smoking Coalition based in Riyadh, accused ministries in the delay of the regulations’ implementation, saying that bureaucracy has been the main reason of the delay of the law that is essential for the Kingdom as it prohibits sales of tobacco products to minors.
In conformity with the legislation, there is a special system of fines for the violators of the law. The fines vary from SR200 (approximately $52) to SR20,000 according to they type of violation.
The provision 13 of the legislation says that individuals or companies that cultivate or manufacture tobacco illegally across the Kingdom are subject to a fine of SR20, 000 ($5240). Individuals caught on smoking in public places would have to pay a SR200 fine.
Saudi Arabian Anti-smoking coalition amazed the rest of the world when launched an anti-smoking campaign this summer. With a slogan saying “Kicking the habit is on you, and marriage is on us,” the campaign organizers promised to pay all the wedding expenses for a groom who gives up smoking attending the cessation program. And, indeed, many young men participated in the campaign in order to take part in the lottery, to win an all-expenses-paid wedding, with one groom even claiming he would start smoking to be eligible.
According to statistics, 25 percent of all adult citizens of Saudi Arabia smoke.
