The Ministry of Health (MOH), represented by the Public Health Agency's Anti-Smoking Program, in collaboration with Riyadh Health Affairs General Directorate has launched, since the beginning of the Holy Month of Ramadan, an awareness campaign under the slogan "Ramadan is nicer without smoking".
The Supervisor-General of the Anti-Smoking Program and Secretary-General of the National Committee for Tobacco Control, Dr. Ali Al-Wadie, explained that despite the importance of the will and determination to quit smoking, they are not only enough and many of the smokers are in need of complementary programs to provide them with behavioral, health and psychological support, in addition to nicotine-free drugs to help them quit smoking.
Dr. Al-Wadie confirmed that the smoking cessation clinics provide a full range of outreach services, medical consultation, and therapeutic services provided free of charge for smokers of both genders; to help them quit smoking. “The Ministry of Health is working on increasing the smoking cessation clinics of both types, fixed and mobile, during the coming period.”
He pointed out that the mobile clinics come in the context of the new strategic tendency of the anti-smoking program which depends on reaching the smokers in their places, besides the fixed clinics scattered in all regions of the Kingdom.
Dr. Al-Wadie explained that the campaign aims to raise awareness about risks of smoking to all segments of the society, whether they are smokers, in contact with smokers or non-smokers. “For the smokers,” he said, “we work to make them aware of the threats of smoking and treat them for nicotine addiction if they are interested in treatment. As for contacts, we brief them on the risks of second-hand smoke, whose danger is not less than smoking, and their right to get fresh air. We explain to non-smokers the social and health effects of smoking in an attempt to protect them against this bad habit, particularly young people and their right to inhale clean air.
On his part, the Assistant Director General of Riyadh Health Affairs, Dr. Mamdouh Al-Thaqeel, said, "The campaign aims at covering all governmental bodies, public organizations and places, coffee shops, restaurants and commercial centers due to the negative effects of smoking on the health of the individual and society, bearing in mind that smoking is not sanctioned by any religion and even the sound mind because of its uncounted damage to health, soul and money.”
He added the Holy Month of Ramadan and the educational message it provides on piety, politeness and change for the better, is a valuable occasion and good opportunity to quit bad habits.