Persian Gulf States Battle Tobacco Firms

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (AHN)) - Saudi Arabia wants to bring the national battle it has waged against 14 tobacco firms to higher grounds by asking the rest of the Persian Gulf states to also sue cigarette companies operating in the region. Dr. Tawfiq Khoja, director general of the Executive Bureau of the Gulf Cooperation Council of Health Ministers said Tuesday it will not allow the cigarette producers to influence further young Middle Easterners to take up the habit.

To slow down nicotine consumption in Saudi Arabia, the state filed a suit against 14 tobacco firms, asking for a $2.7 billion (10 billion riyal) compensation to cover the medical bills for locals with smoking-related ailments. In addition, the Saudi government is asking for a $133 million (500 million riyal) annual payment to cover the cost of ongoing treatment. Riyadh also wants to end tobacco sponsorship at sporting events.

The habit claims 7,000 lives in Saudi every year, mostly young people. Dr. Khoja disclosed 45 percent of them are people in their mid-20s, 27 percent high school students and 13 percent female teachers.

Other Gulf states are beginning to pick up the battle. Last week the United Arab Emirates started to implement the second phase of the smoking ban covering restaurants, cafes and shisha stores. The region has the biggest smoking rate in the world, with 24.3 percent of puffers school children.

Globally, cardiovascular diseases that leads to death has gone up to more than 17 million yearly. By 2015, tobacco deaths will claim more lives, 50 percent higher than the combined victims of AIDS and HIV, according to Dr. Mitchell Nides, president of the Los Angeles Clinical Trials.

Citing World Health Organization data, he said nicotine-related deaths will rise continually from 5.4 million in 2005 to 6.4 million in 2015 and 8.3 million in 2030.