In force
Saudi Anti-Smoking Law
نظام مكافحة التدخين
Aims to combat smoking in Saudi Arabia. It bans growing tobacco, smoking in public places and tobacco advertising, requires health warnings on packaging, and sets out how violations are recorded and fined.
- Articles
- 20
- In force
- 20
- Amended
- 0
- Issued
- 28/7/1436 AH
Issued by: مرسوم ملكي رقم م / 56 بتاريخ 28 / 7 / 1436 · قرار مجلس الوزراء رقم 90 بتاريخ 23 / 3 / 1434
Each article shows the official Arabic text, which is the only legally binding version, followed by our plain-English explanation.
Browse Anti-Smoking Law by topic
Articles of the Saudi Anti-Smoking Law
- Article 1The article states that the aim of the Anti-Smoking Law is to reduce the smoking habit of every kind among individuals of all ages through measures at the level of the state, society and individuals.
- Article 2The article defines smoking as the use of tobacco and its derivatives, in any product containing tobacco and by any method, such as cigarettes, shisha, chewing and tucking.
- Article 3The article prohibits growing or manufacturing tobacco and its derivatives within the Kingdom.
- Article 4The article provides for increasing fees on tobacco and its derivatives, with the increase to be made by a decision of the Council of Ministers.
- Article 5The article requires the package of tobacco and its derivatives to carry the explanatory and warning information specified by the Implementing Regulations.
- Article 6The article prevents the final clearance of tobacco and its derivatives until samples are analyzed in laboratories specified by the regulations to confirm they meet the approved specifications.
- Article 7The article lists the places where smoking is prohibited, such as the surroundings of mosques, government bodies, workplaces, public transport and public places, and sets conditions for smoking areas in them.
- Article 8The article sets controls to limit tobacco sales, including sale in a closed pack, no vending machines, no sales to anyone under 18, and no price cuts or gifts.
- Article 9The article prohibits importing and selling children's toys and sweets made in the form of cigarettes or any smoking tool.
- Article 10The article prohibits advertising and promoting tobacco through any Saudi advertising or media outlet, and requires removal of tobacco-use scenes and anything encouraging smoking from material shown in Saudi Arabia.
- Article 11The article requires the government bodies responsible for Islamic affairs, education, media, sports, health and social affairs to run continuous anti-smoking awareness programs and urge the private sector to take part.
- Article 12The article makes government bodies, educational, health, sports, cultural, social and charitable institutions, and private-sector establishments responsible for catching and recording violations of the law and imposing fines.
- Article 13The article punishes anyone who violates the ban on growing or manufacturing tobacco in Article 3 with a fine of SAR 20,000 and removal of the violation at their expense.
- Article 14The article punishes anyone who smokes in the places where Article 7 prohibits smoking with a fine of SAR 200.
- Article 15The article punishes any violation of the law for which no specific penalty is provided with a fine not exceeding SAR 5,000, doubled in case of repeat offense.
- Article 16The article allows anyone penalized under the Anti-Smoking Law to file a grievance before the competent authority within the prescribed statutory period.
- Article 17The article provides that the penalties in the Anti-Smoking Law do not prevent applying any more severe penalty set by another law.
- Article 18The article allocates all fines collected under the Anti-Smoking Law to support awareness and encourage civil associations to combat smoking, through a bank account spent according to the Minister of Health's instructions.
- Article 19The article assigns the Minister of Health to issue the Implementing Regulations of the Anti-Smoking Law, in coordination with the relevant bodies, within 6 months of the law's publication.
- Article 20The article sets the Anti-Smoking Law to take effect one year after its publication in the Official Gazette.