Jump to full article: Saudi Gazette Online (sa), 2009-09-16
Author: Sumayeah Ridah Hasib
Intro: Convincing teenagers to stop smoking is a tough issue for both parents and authorities at their educational institutions. Most of the teens who smoke don’t show the habit while in educational institutions or at home; a majority of them smoke in public places where there are no restrictions.
“I have a right to smoke in public places, as do non-smokers to be in those public places,” said Khalid Ahmed, a 23-year-old student from India.
“I took up smoking when I was 15. Since I could not smoke at home for fear of getting caught and there is no such places where we can smoke freely near my residence, like the Smokers Area at airports, I have to stick to smoking in public places,” said 17-year-old Rizwanur Rahim also from India.
The setting up of smoking zones in public places has also sort of legalized smoking, a situation teenage smokers have taken advantage of, according to 19-year-old Tanweer Chowdhury from Bangladesh. Smoking places are now located in shopping complexes, restaurants, hospitals and other public places.
“Smoking has been legalized ever since, and it is quite impossible to make people give up smoking because of the presence of these zones,” he said. . . .
Even in Saudi schools, authorities are unable to stop students from smoking despite round-year anti-smoking campaign. According to a Saudi Ministry of Health survey, 62 percent of Saudis begin smoking between the ages of 10 and 20; 27 percent between the ages of 20 and 30 and nine percent before the age of 10.
While the debate rages on the topics of quitting smoking, smoking in public places, and smoking in legalized zones, the import of tobacco and cigarettes continues to rise in the Kingdom.
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