Saudi Arabia starts to enforce smoking ban

Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday it will begin to enforce a royal decree to ban smoking in public places across the Gulf kingdom.

Interior Minister Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz announced that the ban will be effective immediately.

Under the official order, smoking, including shisha, is banned in all government facilities and most commercial areas, including restaurants, supermarkets, and shopping malls.

The order also prohibits the sale of tobacco to those under the age of 18, a statement said.

"This ban represents a significant step in the kingdom's ongoing efforts to decrease the smoking population in Saudi Arabia," said Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, Saudi Ambassador to the United States.

"Saudi Arabia is committed to improving the overall health and well-being of its citizens, and continues to focus considerable efforts on health initiatives throughout the Kingdom," he added.

Saudi Arabia has launched several anti-smoking campaigns in recent years, including the elimination of all smoking in airports.

In May, it was reported that a hospital in Saudi Arabia has banned people from smoking in and around its buildings, the first such move in the Gulf kingdom.

According to local paper Arab News, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh has implemented fines of SR200 ($53) for violations.

“This ban comes as a part of our international standards to provide a clean environment inside the hospital in Jeddah and Riyadh,” Hassan Al-Ghamdi, manager of the centre’s safety and security department in Jeddah, told the newspaper.