Grocery stores, small cafes and restaurants are a new obstacle in the anti-smoking campaign in the Kingdom, Abdullah Sirouji, head of the Kafa Welfare Society, has said. The society spearheads a campaign to spread awareness about the hazards of smoking and drugs. After succeeding in making Makkah and Madina smoke- free zones, the society has expanded its mission to other parts of the Kingdom and is continuously organizing seminars, exhibitions and distributing anti-smoking leaflets across the country. The society recently organized a successful program at the Islamic Development Bank to make it smoke-free area and to help smokers get rid of the habit. “School students buy one or two cigarettes from grocery stores, small cafes and restaurants as some of them don't have enough money to buy the whole packet and because of the fear of hiding packets from elders,” Sirouji told Saudi Gazette recently. Demanding maximum fines and penalties on suppliers and smokers at public places, the official stressed that strict enforcement of the ban on smoking in public places and under-age smoking would go a long way in substantially reducing the number of smokers. “During our visits to schools, we have received several complaints on prevalence of smoking habit among children in the age group of 11 and 16. This is all due to small grocery shops near schools selling cigarettes to them without regard to age. Even when they want one cigarette they sell it to them, which is the prime cause of spreading smoking habit in the youth,” the official said. The official emphasized on the enforcement of laws and imposition of stiff penalties on smoking in public places including airports. Sale of cigarette, he said, should be stopped for children whether a box or one pill. It is imperative to fight smoking and smoking ban should be enforced in all cities in the Kingdom such as the one applicable in Makkah and Madina, he said.
