MOH has raised its claim from tobacco companies to more than 127 billion Saudi Riyals, said MOH Legal Affairs General Manager Mr. Ibrahim bin Sulayman Al-Misaiteer. He said the supreme court has started the legal procedures yesterday.
According to Al-Misaiteer, the number of defendants in the case are 13, but only two agents appeared yesterday, one of them lacking legal authorization. He said MOH submitted its declaration to the court, which fixed 19/02/1430 as an appointment for hearing the attending defendant's rebuttal and absent agents.
He said more than 568 million kilograms of tobacco were imported to the Kingdom during the period from 1982 to 2007, an amount equaling about 31 billion cigarette boxes and 617 billion cigarettes. "The cigarette companies have pledged to settle a number of past claims raised against them by more than 246 billion dollars", he said. "The bodies with which the settlements have been made are preparing to raise other claims by more than 400 billion dollars", he added.
Al-Misaiteer confirmed that MOH, by filing this case against tobacco companies, endeavors to curb the spreading of some serious health problems caused by cigarette smoking, including cancers, heart diseases, arteriosclerosis, lung failure, etc. "MOH has incurred great costs for treating the diseases caused by smoking", he said.