Comprehensive Analysis of Cigarette Smoking Policy in Saudi Arabia

This report analyzes the cigarette smoking policy in Saudi Arabia, highlighting the significant public health concern posed by tobacco use. It reviews the current prevalence of smoking, noting variations across demographics and the associated health impacts, including increased risks of heart disease, cancer, and adverse effects on women's reproductive health. The report also examines the existing policy measures, such as bans in public places and health education initiatives, while also suggesting potential improvements, including health promotion plans under the GCC Standardization Organization and cigarette taxation modifications. It emphasizes the need for comprehensive health education and effective price regulation to curb smoking and reduce its adverse effects on the population. The report concludes by referencing relevant studies and data sources to support its findings and recommendations.

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Cigarette smoking policy in Saudi Arabia
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Cigarette smoking in Saudi Arabia
Tobacco smoking has been regarded as the greatest threat to public health in modern times.
It is among the leading cause of mortality and morbidity and a risks factor for major
developmental diseases such as pulmonary diseases, lung cancer, and heart diseases. Despite this
observable health risks, about 1.3 billion persons smoke cigarette globally, (Algabbani et al.,
2018).
Saudi Arabia has had concerted efforts in increasing and intensifying efforts aimed at
curbing tobacco smoking. These measures include banning smoking in public places, health care
facilities, government facilities, restaurants, education centers, and transport sector, despite these
initiatives, smoking remains high in this region (Moradi-Lakeh et al., 2013).
Prevalence
Among the participants included in the study, the median age was 36 years of whom, 51%
were male while 49% were female. There was a prevalence of 21.4% of smoking across the
population, in this 17% were daily smokers and 5% were nondaily smokers. There were key
variations based on various socio-demographic factors. Further gender stratification on smoking
patterns has been observed. Age was significantly associated with smoking with males being
more likely to smoke compared to females at an adjusted odds ratio of 8.15. Education was less
significantly associated to smoke four times less than those with higher education. Further, those
who were employed were more likely to smoke comrade to non employed, West, 2017).
Impacts
According to the center for disease control smoking has more effects on individual health.
Association of smoking and development of heart diseases, stroke and lung cancer have
increased considerably. Among women, smoking can have adverse effects on general health

concerning childbearing ability. It increases the risks of preterm delivery, stillbirths, low birth
weights, ectopic pregnancy, and facial cleft infants. Thus increased smoking rates have adverse
risks on people and the general health system network, (van der Deen et al., 2018).
The potential policy mitigation plan
Health promotion inclusion under the GCC Standardization Organization (GSO).
Approved Health Warnings contain the images and text of the four cigarette warnings
authorized by GSO Technical Regulation 246/2011.
Smoking is a serious health promotion issue which needs an aggressive policy framework.
Saudi Arabia has no elaborate health promotion and education plan to curb smoking prevalence
and habits across the populations. There is a need for health education policy guideline to guide
the general population and the adverse effects of smoking. Health education plan is pivotal in the
campaign to reduce the burden of smoking in Saudi Arabia as suggested by the findings of the
research where the prevalence of educated and noneducated varied considerably (Ranabhat et al.,
2019).
Cigarette taxation modification under conditions stipulated by the General Authority of
Zakat and Tax (GAZT)
Further increasing cigarette products taxation through increased prices is essential in making
affordability a challenge to the consumers. This is supported by the in the study where those in
employment were more likely to smoke compared to none employed. Increasing taxation allows
for none priority purchase among the population. Thus a formulation of a policy plan to
mitigation this avenue is essential in ensuring that price regulation mechanism for cigarettes is
established. This will be a key milestone policy for ensuring that cigarette remains out of reach

for the majority of the population thus reducing its overall consumption and usage, (Petrović-van
et al., 2018).
References
Algabbani, A. M., Almubark, R., Althumiri, N., Alqahtani, A., & BinDhim, N. (2018). The
Prevalence of Cigarette Smoking in Saudi Arabia in 2018. Food and Drug Regulatory
Science Journal, 1(1), 1-1.
Moradi-Lakeh, M., El Bcheraoui, C., Tuffaha, M., Daoud, F., Al Saeedi, M., Basulaiman, M., ...
& Mokdad, A. H. (2015). Tobacco consumption in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2013:
findings from a national survey. BMC public health, 15(1), 611.
Petrović-van der Deen, F. S., Blakely, T., Kvizhinadze, G., Cleghorn, C. L., Cobiac, L. J., &
Wilson, N. (2018). Restricting tobacco sales to only pharmacies combined with
cessation advice: a modelling study of the future smoking prevalence, health and cost
impacts. Tobacco control, tobaccocontrol-2018.
Ranabhat, C. L., Kim, C. B., Park, M. B., & Jakovljevic, M. M. (2019). Situation, impacts and
future challenges of tobacco control policies for youth: systematic policy review.
Frontiers in Pharmacology, 10, 981.
van der Deen, F. S., Wilson, N., Cleghorn, C. L., Kvizhinadze, G., Cobiac, L. J., Nghiem, N., &
Blakely, T. (2018). Impact of five tobacco endgame strategies on future smoking
prevalence, population health and health system costs: two modelling studies to inform
the tobacco endgame. Tobacco control, 27(3), 278-286.
West R. Tobacco smoking: Health impact, prevalence, correlates and interventions. Psychol
Health [Internet]. 2017 [cited 2019 Sep 01];32(8):1018–36. Available from:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28553727