Saudi Gazette Battle against making people quit smoking continues, and now the Mayoralty Council of Al-Ahsa region are partnering with Naqa, a charitable organization, to discourage smoking in their communities. In a meeting held last Tuesday, members have unanimously decided to move all sheesha cafés to the outskirts of the cities. The sale of cigarettes and all tobacco products will be banned in small mini-markets and to help them in their endeavors, the council members have their hopes pinned on Naqa, which has been successful in making people quit smoking. A leading member of Al-Ahsa Mayoralty and chief supervisor of Naqa, Shaikh Ahmad Al-Bou'ali, told Al-Watan daily, “The mayoralty has announced a new law that will forbid the sale of cigarettes and all tobacco products at the mini-markets. These stores hold licenses only for the sale of food items and nutritional products. Stores are required to apply for an additional and separate license to permit them to sell cigarettes, but most small businesses fail to follow the procedure and they do not hold such licenses.” “A recent survey has revealed that 95 percent of the mini-markets in the region sell cigarettes unofficially and they have violated their business permits. The council is cooperating with Naqa to keep the air in Al-Ahsa clean, healthy and free of pollution from smoke and the grey clouds created by sheesha,” added Al-Bou'ali. A creative project launched by Naqa was printing ‘Try to quit' on all coffee cups in Java Time, a popular coffee shop in Al-Ahsa. Naqa has helped hundreds of nicotine addicts overcome their addiction and kick the habit of smoking. Their activities and awareness campaigns in the society educate an average of 10,000 residents per week on the dangers of smoking cigarettes and sheesha. The society's response to these awareness campaigns has been positive and many smokers have come forward to seek help from them. The nicotine withdrawal treatments at Naqa are very effective, and those who sincerely wish to quit smoking have to register themselves in advance for the therapeutic sessions as they are extremely busy round the clock. The public spokesperson for Al-Ahsa mayoralty, Nahid Al-Jabr, said, “The mayoralty also has plans to oversee the maintenance, cleanliness, and appearances of the city's public parks to better meet the recreational needs of our residents and visitors.” __
