Press Interpreter

05/21/05 -- The Gulf States have some of the lowest prices of cigarettes in the world because of the low taxes the governments impose. For this reason, the smoking epidemic and its related diseases are spreading throughout all levels of society. As for the efforts of the governments in their battle against smoking - they have gone astray in their attempt to persuade people to stop smoking by using “so called� restrictions that are only ineffective. The ideal way to curb interest in taking up smoking is to raise tariffs on tobacco. These tariffs should be raised to at least 300% in order to equal those found in developed countries.

The Saudi government’s activity is confined to lectures and advertisements, the results of which have been negligible. Saudi’s chairman in the association in the fight against smoking confirmed that the tragic increase in the number of smokers has been at about 24% in the area. This is a tragedy that destroys bodies and pocket books, as well as the country’s budget. What is worse is what he said about the price of tobacco imports and the cost of treating smoking related diseases, which has reached more than 2.5 billion dollars in Saudi Arabia alone. These costs are equivalent to the building of 17 medical complexes.

In order to illustrate how the priorities in the fight against smoking have gone astray, I relate the following story concerning the forbidding of tobacco advertisements in newspapers and magazines. The Saudi government has decided to prohibit tobacco advertisements despite the fact that it is the vital income of publishing companies. This law has come as a surprise because it has not had a large effect in the war against smoking. The problem has been, and still remains, in the inexpensiveness of cigarettes and the general indifference towards the idea of forbidding smoking in public places.

It was our opinion, when this law was passed five years ago, that marketing studies confirmed the fact that cigarette advertisements do not entice people to smoke; rather, they simply entice smokers to change brands. It is consequently apparent that the prohibition of tobacco advertisements will not impede the damage brought about by smoking itself. The prohibition of tobacco advertisements seems secondary to the need for introducing high tariffs; which is what most countries have done as a means to battle smoking. Why, then, after all these years have tariffs only slightly been raised? It is rumored that the tobacco lobby is powerful and notorious successful in arguing against the introduction of high tariffs. This success comes from buying time by stalling and through the use of intimidation by warning of the potential dangers of smuggling. These dangers are nothing in comparison with the disastrous consequences that smoking brings upon the society.

The raising of the tariffs and taxes on tobacco, along with the allocation of these revenues to hospitals, will certainly bring about two immediate results: first, there will be a decrease in the popularity of smoking and the damage it causes; second, smokers will be responsible for financing their own treatment – not the government. They are most definitely the ones who should pay the price. I believe that taking a look at the price of tobacco in the rest of the world will illustrate the assumption of a relationship between price and popularity. Leaving prices low makes it easy for even young people to spend money on smoking as well as facilitating its affordability to the poor. All of this is happening while the government is squandering its money in ineffective campaigns. I am sorry to have to say such things while even I am surrounded by many friends who smoke incessantly. It pains me to say such things knowing that I have lost some of them to smoking related diseases.

[Full Article]

By Abdu Al-Rahman Al-Rashid

--Translated By Jeremy Palmer

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