Saudi Arabia & the UAE Launch National Effort to Reduce Smoking

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE are encouraging their residents to give up smoking as part of World No-Tobacco Day.

The UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) is warning people against the serious health risks posed by excessive smoking, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and a decline in mental health. The MoHAP is also urging people not to use, or promote, electronic smoking products as safer alternatives to traditional tobacco.

The ministry has set out a comprehensive strategy to curb tobacco use and create a smoke-free environment, in line with World No-Tobacco Day on May 31st. The strategy consists of a national programme specifically designed to reduce consumption by reducing demand, and curtailing production and distribution. The UAE became a member of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2005, and remains a leading nation in tobacco control regionally and globally.

In Saudi Arabia, PIF-owned Badael marked the first anniversary of their ‘Clear the Air’ campaign. The initiative calls on individuals, organisations and government entities to collaborate in creating a smoke-free Saudi Arabia. These efforts are part of the quality-of-life portion of the nation’s Vision 2030.

Badael aims to curb smoking by providing safer alternatives, and is leading the effort to help one million Saudis quit smoking by 2028 thanks to the first-ever Saudi-made DZRT nicotine pouches manufactured in the Kingdom. The company has surpassed one million e-commerce orders since its inception, helping approximately three hundred thousand people transition away from tobacco.