A draft law on imposing financial penalties for smoking in public areas is awaiting approval from the Council of Ministers in Saudi Arabia.

 

A commission of experts has been tasked with studying the proposed new law.

 

The anti-smoking law would be applied in parts of the Kingdom. The entities that initiated this initiative will be responsible for imposing such penalties if the law is approved. Samir Ghazi, secretary-general of the General Presidency of Meteorology and Environmental Protection, has demanded the inclusion of excess gas emissions from cars exhausts to the penalties’ system because such emissions pose more danger to human health.

 

“Certain Arab countries have deployed ‘environmental police’ to gauge the volume of harmful gases coming from cars in the street. Cars whose engines are found to omit excessive levels of harmful toxins will be penalized,” he added.

 

He said that the General Presidency for Meteorology and Environment Protection is updating environmental standards in relation to closed public areas.

 

He said that general environmental law prevents smoking in government directorates but that this law does not encompass public areas.