‘Rehabilitation programs’ see 5,000 Saudis quit tobacco smoking habit

At least 5,000 Saudi men and women became nonsmokers last year after taking part in “rehabilitation programs” across the country, according to an Arab News story.

Throughout 2013, the Makkah Kafa Society, tasked with raising awareness about the dangers of smoking and drug use, was in contact with more than 800,000 people, Abdullah Al-Othaim, the organization’s chairman, reportedly told the Saudi Press Agency.

The number of people who quit smoking and became more aware of the dangers of narcotics had doubled over the past few years.

“The Kafa society’s activities included various programs targeting youth gatherings and associations, children’s theatres and exhibitions, and mobile clinics that toured the Makkah region,” Al-Othaim said.
“Makkah is the holiest city on earth [according to Islamic beliefs] and must be smoke-free,” he said.

The Kafa Society, which has branches in Jeddah, Al-Leeth and Qunfudah, asked on
its Twitter account that parents monitor their children carefully during exam times because they could fall prey to peer pressure to use cigarettes and drugs.