Jump to full article: Arab News (sa), 2007-09-12
Author: Raid Qusti, Arab News
Intro: The first court hearing in the lawsuit filed by the Health Ministry against two international tobacco companies over smoking-related cancer and illnesses in Saudi Arabia was postponed yesterday as representatives of the tobacco companies failed to show up.
Sheikh Muhammad Al-Fayez, the Riyadh Higher Court judge who is presiding over the case, postponed the hearing to Oct. 31. According to a senior Health Ministry official, two major international tobacco companies have been sued in the case. The names of the companies were not disclosed. . . .
The Ministry of Health is suing international tobacco companies for SR10 billion to cover the health care costs in smoking-related illnesses. In addition, it is asking for another SR500 million compensation to be paid annually. "Part of the SR500 million will go as funding to the ministry to build more anti-smoking clinics in the Kingdom," Al-Fayez said.
The health official noted that the sales of cigarettes have increased in the Kingdom in the past several years.
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