Smokers in Saudi Arabia puff away SR50m every day

JEDDAH: Over SR50 million goes up in smoke daily because of addiction to cigarettes in Saudi Arabia, let alone the thousands of deaths that occur every year due to smoking, the head of the anti-tobacco and anti-drugs organization has said.
“Only last year, as many as 23,000 people were killed due to smoking,” Sheikh Abdullah Al-Othaim, chairperson of Tobacco and Narcotics Combat Society, which is also known as Kafa (Enough), was quoted as saying by local media on Sunday.
Al-Othaim was speaking during the opening ceremony of the second annual Kafa Awareness Forum, conducted with the sponsorship of the Imam and preacher of the Grand Mosque, Sheikh Khalid Al-Ghamdi, at King Abdulaziz Conference Hall recently.
In his opening speech at the forum, he said that addicts impose great burden on their families and the country. “Kafa recently opened a specialized center for drug rehabilitation and care for addicts under the supervision of specialized doctors. The center represents a helping hand for Kafa in encouraging its programs and events in Makkah through its six branches,” he said.
He thanked the leaders of the Kingdom in general and Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal and Jeddah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Majed in particular for their support to Kafa.
Speaking on the occasion, Sheikh Al-Ghamdi appreciated the programs offered by Kafa, and said that combating tobacco and narcotics addiction are as important as fighting terrorism and extremism in the country.