Ten of thousands of Saudis die every year from smoking-related causes, and the government is taking notice. A public awareness campaign alongside heavily increased tariffs is working to discourage the purchase of cigarettes. Some of these ads – as well as some homemade additions – are showing up on twitter under the hashtag “#smoking in Saudi Arabia.”
#التدخين_ÙÙŠ_السعودية (: pic.twitter.com/VLLKWIfzLj
— المها الشمري. (@memo10109) January 7, 2014
Twitter users are also promoting awareness by tweeting and retweeting frightening statistics. For example, one user posted a screenshot of a news article, writing, “more than 70% of students begin their relationship with smoking during the exam period.”
دراسة.. أكثر من 70بالمئة من الطلاب بدأت علاقتهم بالتدخين ÙÙŠ Ùترة الامتØانات.(الشرق) #التدخين_ÙÙŠ_السعودية #الاختبارات pic.twitter.com/EM9XCie2U7
— هاشتاق السعودية (@HashKSA) January 7, 2014
A YouTube video details the efforts made by the Saudi Health Ministry to combat the smoking epidemic.
