User:Roast Beef46/sandbox

Smoking in Saudi Arabia
Smoking in Saudi Arabia is banned in airports, workplaces, universities, research centers, hospitals, government buildings, all public places, places involved with tourism, and in and around all places in association with religion, education, places for events, sporting establishments, charity associations, all forms of public transportation and their associated facilities, plants for manufacturing or processing items, and a large portion of public places.

Statistics taken by the Ministry of Health (Saudi Arabia) in 2007 indicated that 75.4% of the population believed that public smoked should be prohibited.

"Official figures" from 2012 indicate there are somewhere around six million smokers in the country, including eight hundred thousand students in intermediate and high school. Around one tenth of the total smokers are women. citations not inlcuded because because of being pasted from the official article i already published

Contents

 * 1History
 * 2Policies and Bans
 * 3References

History
Saudi Arabia's smoking policies did not have any sort of bans or specific area restrictions until 2010.

In 2010, restrictions on smoking were imposed in airports and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals.

In 2011, Umm al-Qura University also began to ban smoking.

Also in 2012, smoking was banned in government buildings (both public and private) and in a large portion of public places (only inside of buildings, not around them) by Prince Ahmad bin Abdulaziz. The same law also banned all persons under the age of eighteen from purchasing any tobacco products.

Later in the same year, all forms of smoking were banned in and around centers of tourism (hotels, travel agencies, etc.) by the Saudi Arabian General Commission for Tourism and Antiquities.

In 2016, smoking near any places of religion (Mosques), places of education, facilities pertaining to health or sports, processing/manufacturing plants, all forms of public transport, and charity institutions was banned. The new ban also clarified that smoking is not allowed in private or public governmental facilities. The decree from the Kingdom also urges bodies of government at all levels to make as great an effort as possible to prevent as much smoking as possible, including banning the farming and processing all tobacco. It also limits the options for tobacco to be sold; cigarettes must only be sold in packages and their sale is prohibited in facilities for public transport and all vending machines.

Policies and Bans
There were very little restrictions on smoking in Saudi Arabia before 2010. In 2010, the General Authority of Civil Aviation decided under support of the Council of Ministers to ban smoking in all airports and and associated buildings in the Kingdom except for designated areas as well as forcing fines of at least 200 SAR (~$53 USD) on any violators.

King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals began making efforts to ban smoking around the campus.

The next year, Umm al-Qura University also started trying to ban smoking on their campus.

King Faisal Specialist Hospital banning all smoking not only in their facilities, but also around them.

In 2016, smoking in and/or around places or worship and other institutions having to do with sports, culture, education, health, social interaction, or charity establishments was banned. Violators of the ban that are caught receive a fine of at least 200 SAR ($53 USD) up to 5000 SAR ($1300 USD). The same decree also applies to all forms of public transport (including facilities such as bus stations), and manufacturing/processing plants. Efforts also were being made towards "raise[ing] awareness on the harmful effects of smoking and tobacco products across the Kingdom." Also included under the decree is the prohibition of the sale of all tobacco (and related products) to all person under the age of eighteen years old, creating any patents for products involving tobacco, selling tobacco or related products at a reduced price (this includes banning offering tobacco products as free samples; gifting tobacco is also prohibited), selling or importing any products with advertisements promoting tobacco of any representation (not limited to cigarettes), the creation, selling, or import of any toys or foods resembling smoking devices or other tobacco related products. Violating any of these restrictions results in a maximum fine of 20,000 SAR ($5300 USD).