WASHINGTON (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Compounding the numerous multi-million dollar suits filed by U.S. smokers against the industry, U.S. tobacco manufacturers are being sued once again; this time by a hospital in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi News Agency reports that the Riyadh-based King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center is seeking at least 10 billion riyals ($2.67 billion) in compensation for treating lung disease smokers from U.S. tobacco firms and their local agents.
Anwar al-Jabrati, executive general manager at the Hospital said, "One of the American tobacco firms was negotiating [with the hospital] to settle the case.
"But I refused to settle outside court and insisted on going on with the suit, which was recently accepted in U.S. courts, through the hospital representative in this case," he added.
U.S. courts have admitted the suit.
Saudi Arabia is the leading tobacco market consumer among Gulf states. The country, whose population is 18 million, imported 15 billion cigarettes in 1998. During the same year, all Gulf states imported a total of 25 billion cigarettes worth around $500 million.
Jabarti also said his hospital is filing another lawsuit against manufacturers of the traditional water pipes and their accessories prevalent in Saudi culture.
In recent months, there has risen popular awareness within the Muslim countries regarding the ill effects of smoking with moves towards prohibiting its consumption. Last year, al-Azhar re-issued a fatwa declaring smoking to be unlawful.
