Bahrain has today marked the World No Tobacco Day, which falls on May 31. Health Minister Sadiq bin Abdelkarim Al-Shehabi patronised a ceremony in this respect at Bapco Club in Awali. The event was attended by Undersecretary Dr. Aisha Mubarak Bu'unq, senior officials, Bapco Chairman Adel Almoayyed, leading corporate figures, consultants and employees.

The minister revealed that 28.3 per cent of smokers below the age of 18 quit the habit in 2014. According to statistics compiled by the No Tobacco Clinics at Hoora, Hamad Kanoo and Hidd-based Bahrain Kuwait Health Centres, 35.8% of smokers aged over 18 years old also gave the habit.

In a statement to Bahrain News Agency (BNA), Al-Shehabi said that the ministry would open within the coming two months the 4th No Tobacco Clinic at Hamad Health Centre. The World Health Organisation Tobacco-related illness is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced. Approximately one person dies from a tobacco-linked disease every six seconds, equivalent to almost 6 million people a year. This number is forecast exceed 8 million people a year by 2030, with more than 80% of these preventable deaths occurring among people living in low-and middle-income countries..