 The number of smokers in Saudi Arabia has amplified to a big sum of six million, of which 600,000 are women. There are also 772,000 teenage smokers, including students. Many smokers may be unaware of this phenomenon but it is true: smoking causes blindness. The generic form of blindness caused by smoking is "age-related macular degeneration." Smoking is also a cause of cataract, amongst many other life-threatening diseases. Every 6.5 seconds, a current or former smoker dies, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In Saudi Arabia, 22,000 Saudis die of smoking related diseases every year, according to the Anti-Smoking Society.
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Developing Impactful Awareness Raising Campaigns towards Reducing Tobacco Consumption
Training Course on ‘Packaging, Labeling and Pictorial Health Warnings on Tobacco Products’
World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), the 3rd session of the Conference of the Parties
On 17 August 2011, the Lebanese Parliament adopted a new tobacco-control act. The most important provisions of the act include: a complete ban on smoking in all closed public places such as restaurants, cafes and public transport; a ban on tobacco companies from conducting any kind of advertising or sponsorship campaigns; and a warning that covers 40% of cigarette packs. Fines for non-compliance with the new smoke-free regulations will be applied to both the owners and the smokers themselves. The law gives owners of hospitality establishments one year to prepare for the upcoming ban on smoking in closed spaces. More than 3500 Lebanese die each year from tobacco-related diseases.