Saudi Arabian hospital stubs out smoking

A hospital in Saudi Arabia has banned people from smoking in and around its buildings, the first such move in the Gulf kingdom, it was reported. According to local paper Arab News, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre  in Riyadh has implemented fines of SAR200 (US$53) for violations. “This ban comes as a part of our international standards to provide a clean environment inside the hospital in Jeddah and Riyadh,” Hassan Al-Ghamdi, manager of the center’s safety and security department in Jeddah, told the newspaper. “At the same time, we have put cameras throughout the hospital to enforce the ban. The hospital depends on this initiative to maintain a healthy environment inside the hospital," he pointed out. Al-Ghamdi added: “The smoking ban also includes the exterior of King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre within a 20m radius. There will be security guards throughout the hospital to monitor violations of the ban."