The World Health Organization demands that the governments of all countries print a striking picture in addition to the writing warning messages about the health risks of smoking on the exterior of all cigarette packs. — Courtesy photo Amal Al-Sibai Saudi Gazette JEDDAH – Gaining a scholarship to study abroad through the King Abdullah Scholarship Program has opened a treasure of opportunities for Saudis students to seek the best education, broaden their horizons, learn communication skills, and discover a different country and culture. This year alone about 130,000 Saudi students have been accepted by the program and are studying abroad. Little do they know that not only would they improve their education, but that those who smoked would be encouraged to quit their unhealthy habit while studying abroad. Due to the high prices of cigarettes in Western countries, Saudis studying there are finding it extremely difficult to keep up the bad habit of smoking a pack a day because it is costing them too much money. They are almost forced to use their allotted stipends to pay rent, bills, and to purchase books, food, and more important necessities, so many of them are making the decision that they have got to stop smoking. Abdu, who is currently studying in Curtin University in Western Australia, said: “When I moved to Australia I was in for a shock when I went to buy cigarettes. On average, in Australia a pack of 18 cigarettes costs approximately SR69. For someone like me who was hooked on smoking a pack a day and was on a tight budget, this was a tough problem. “My friends and I decided to quit smoking because it was a waste of money and also due to the hazardous health risks associated with smoking. Each week to reward ourselves, we would buy something beneficial with the money saved, such as a good book or even go out for dinner. Until this day, I have been smoke-free for a year and a half.” Dr. Naif Hussein, a physician working at a Kafa (Tobacco and Narcotics Combat Charity Society) clinic, which helps smokers to quit the habit and supports them during the challenging withdrawal process, said: “The policies in this country are too lax; cigarettes are affordable and easily in the reach of even young boys. These are all obstacles in the face of combating smoking in the Kingdom. “If stringent government rulings are not passed to severely limit the marketing and sale of tobacco products, the incidence of smoking will continue to rise.” Dr. Hussein related the story of one of his patients that he recently helped quit smoking and treated firsthand with successful results. This young man was studying in New Zealand and he was visiting his family in Jeddah during the university break. He told his physician at the clinic that he was addicted to sheesha and wanted to quit because in New Zealand it was outrageously priced. While studying abroad he suffered strong and uncomfortable cravings for puffing, but he would force himself to ignore his urges. In New Zealand he could only afford to smoke sheesha once a week because ordering this tobacco concoction in public places costs the equivalent of an alarming SR150. In comparison, in Jeddah he could smoke it four times a week because in most cafés here he could find a sheesha for SR30. The World Health Organization (WHO) demanded that the governments of all countries implement a new law that requires printing a graphic image or striking picture in addition to the written warning of the Surgeon General on the health risks of smoking on the exterior of all cigarette packs sold on the market. According to a report by the WHO, each year six million individuals die as a direct result of smoking-related diseases and health complications, besides the tumultuous financial burden and draining of national healthcare resources. In the US, an independent government body is responsible for selecting the pictures to be used on the outside of the tobacco product labels. The government will use very disturbing and attention-grabbing images designed to evoke an emotional response in people to get them to quit or never start smoking in the first place. The campaign aims to use striking images to convey the health hazards of tobacco, depicting people whose smoking habits have caused amputation, paralysis and heart surgery, or a baby choking in his smoking mother's womb, or gruesome images of a smoker's rotting teeth or a man exhaling smoke through a tracheotomy. This strategy could be a positive step in the right direction, if implemented properly. Hussein said: “The Kingdom also passed this new ruling, but its efficacy has been diminished. Unfortunately, the selection of the images to be used has been left in the hands of the tobacco companies themselves to decide which pictures to use on the outside of cigarette packs. “The choice should have been the sole responsibility of anti-smoking organizations, such as Kafa or others. The images chosen by the tobacco companies are weak and will not elicit the desired and intended response among society members, which is to repel them away from smoking. “In Western countries, anyone selling cigarettes to a minor (anyone under the age of 15 years) will be heavily penalized, charged with fines, and could be imprisoned immediately. However, here in the Kingdom, no such punishment is in place and if there is a law it is obviously not applied. “It is worryingly widespread for adolescents to easily purchase cigarettes. You can even find some stores that have the option of selling a couple of cigarettes (not the whole pack). This terrible practice makes it cheaper for the customer to get a cigarette and it, in effect, invites young boys to smoke.”
