The director in charge of tackling smoking rates in the province, Dr. Awad Al-Sarhani, said on Tuesday that up to six cases were being treated at the local smoking clinic during the fourth quarter of last year, according to data compiled by his department. It is not clear how much of a reduction has taken place.
“Snuff topped the list of tobacco products followed by cigarettes and then shisha (hubble-bubble),” he told Arab News.
Al-Sarhani expressed happiness that the number of those quitting the habit was on the rise, adding that the majority of women smokers who come to the clinic for treatment are aged between 14 and 22.
He denied that women coming to the clinic for treatment were smoking illegal substances such as hashish.
Al-Sarhani said women smokers do not shy away from visiting the smoking clinics because they are a part of health centers in the region.
“This guarantees women smokers receive the confidentiality they look for. Their family and others will not doubt them or be surprised to see them going to health centers,” he added.
The largest percentage of smokers come from low-income families, Al-Sarhani said, adding that the use of snuff was very common among intermediate and secondary school students. “This is the adolescence period, during which girls will be influenced by their smoking brothers,” he explained.
Al-Sarhani said most girls were driven to smoking by social problems within their families.
“Exposure to a smoking environment and influence from their friends are also causes,” he said.
According to Al-Sarhani, treatment for first time quitters can take up to three months. Those who then relapse are usually treated for up to two years.
“We provide the smoker with medicines as well as psychological treatment just in case,” he added.
Meanwhile, a lecture about smoking was delivered to a female audience at King Khaled University in Abha on Monday.
Medical doctors, university staff and students attended the lecture, held on the International Day to Combat Smoking.
Dr. Buthaina Al-Ghazali, one of the lecturers, told Arab News that many girls erroneously believe that smoking will alleviate their personal problems.
“However, boys tend to smoke so they feel grown up,” she added.
She said about five million people die worldwide every year because of smoking-related diseases.
“This is more than the number of deaths caused by air crashes and natural disasters,” she said.
Buthaina said smoking can lead to lung cancer, strokes and other fatal diseases.