Anti-Smoking program launched at Imam University's Campus

Consistent with the University's aims of serving and benefiting the community, Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University is actively engaging in a campaign aimed to discourage smokers, more specifically the youth from smoking. Imam University's Social Science College in collaboration with the Saudi Anti-Smoking Association organized the campaign and a guidance program for students.

The program included a number of activities and lectures which explored the side effects of smoking, in and ways of how to give up smoking. Mr. Sulaiman A. Al-Sabba, Supervisor General of the Association, provided key data and information on the tobacco market in Saudi Arabia as well as consumption data for historical and forecast periods. He highlighted that “latest global statistics showed that, there are more than one billion smokers around the world and it is expected to reach more than 1.5 billion smokers by the year 2020. With 35% of adults and more than 40% teenagers smoking in Saudi Arabia, tobacco is causing five millions deaths yearly”.

 

He further explained that in 1990 Saudi Arabia was amongst the leading countries around the world in importing cigarettes and the last decade has seen a sharp rise in the number of smokers across the Kingdom. “Results taken from a recent local survey showed that, 16% of female physicians currently working in the health sector are smoking, andd 48% of male physicians” he added.
He stressed the significance of policies adopted by local authorities and civil society organizations to have cigarette free zones in Saudi cities. He provided a brief summary about the stringent anti-smoking measures approved in the cities of Medina and Makkah. 

As a conclusion to the program Mr. Al-Sabba provided a number of recommendations that can assist  people in relinquishing the addictive habit of smoking. Amongst the recommendations he mentioned were, prohibiting smoking in public places, banning the advertising of tobacco, encouraging lawmakers to create policies and pass regulations related to anti-smoking, and lastly to support anti-smoking associations financially and communally.