Article 7 of the Saudi Anti-Smoking Law

This is one of the most important articles of the law for the ordinary reader, because it specifies where smoking is prohibited, in the broad sense in Article 2, which includes shisha, mu'assel, chewing and more. The prohibited places are:

1. The places and courtyards surrounding mosques.
2. Ministries, government departments, public institutions and bodies and their branches, and other public entities.
3. Educational, health, sports, cultural, social and charitable institutions.
4. Workplaces in companies, establishments, bodies, factories, banks and the like.
5. Public land, air and sea transport, as specified by the Implementing Regulations.
6. Places where food and beverages are manufactured, prepared and packaged.
7. Sites for the production, transport, distribution and refining of petroleum, and stations for distributing and selling fuel and gas.
8. Warehouses, elevators and restrooms.
9. Other public places not mentioned in the preceding paragraphs.

Smoking areas: Paragraph 9 alone allows smoking areas to be provided in the public places that fall under it, on conditions that the person responsible for the place must observe: they must be isolated, kept to the narrowest limits, and not entered by anyone under 18 years of age. The Implementing Regulations set the criteria for applying this paragraph. The text does not mention this exception for the places in paragraphs 1 to 8.

This provision links to Article 8, which sets rules for selling tobacco, including that it may not be sold inside public transport or to persons under 18 years of age. The article does not state a penalty for violating it, as penalties are set out in separate articles of the law. Anyone who needs to assess their position in a particular violation can consult a lawyer specializing in administrative cases.