Saudi Arabia: Cancer patient sues tobacco firms

[Miswak Association for health and Environment Researchs]

Saudi Arabia: Cancer patient sues tobacco firms
A Saudi citizen has filed a lawsuit against two tobacco companies
asking for $10 million (SR37.5 million) in compensation for the health
damages he suffered from smoking. This is the second lawsuit from the
Kingdom and considered the first personal case against tobacco
companies in the Middle East, said Abdullah Seruji, executive director
of the Smoking and Drugs Awareness Association. He said a court in
Jeddah has accepted the lawsuit from Abu Abdullah, a businessman.
The victim had throat cancer and went though a major surgery in King
Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh. Seruji said the victim lost
parts of his throat and vocal chords and he cannot talk any more
except with the help of a special device. He noted that this case,
which is supported by the association, is inevitable because the
victim’s medical report proved that his disease was due to smoking
tobacco.
Seruji noted that Saudi citizens are no less important than American
or European citizens where they file lawsuits against tobacco
companies and win huge financial compensations. The plaintiff told the
association that he would build a hospital for treating tobacco
addicts free of charge with the money that he hopes to win from the
tobacco companies.


Source: Arab News, 08 June 2009
Link: http://tiny.cc/a9Ptc