Tobacco on Trial - A BBC Radio Series - North Africa/The Middle East

The Arabic BBC service is widely received across 22 countries in North Africa and the Middle East. It is rebroadcast on 3 stations in the Middle East, 7 in the USA and 1 in Australia. The Tobacco on Trial series of 13 x 15 minute programmes was based on interviews with people from all walks of life who discussed the many aspects of tobacco use. A specially designed website accompanied the radio series providing health information, background data, a People's Poll and an interactive debate on the pros and cons of smoking.

Tobacco, Health, Women, Children, Rights

The programmes began by offering a history of tobacco and then covered topics such as the health hazards of second hand smoke, the responsibility of society to find other recreational activities for children besides smoking, the lure of seductive cigarette advertising, the misconception that nicotine addiction is a gradual process, and the fact that lung cancer is the most common form of Cancer in the Arab world. Programme 7 looked at smoking and religion. "A fatwa (Islamic Decree) in Egypt gives wives the right to divorce their smoking husbands if the smoke affects their health". Recognition of the rights of passive smokers is apparent and reasons behind the religious disapproval of smoking were considered. Programme 4 examined the image of smoking. "Smoking in the Arab world is associated with maturity and men and women of thought". This is a difficult state of mind for anti-tobacco groups to overcome. Two programmes were devoted entirely to the topic of women and smoking. Dr Azza Haikal, a university professor, discussed the image of women in the Arab world and the programme went on site to a cafe where women and men meet to smoke. It was recognized that the mass media will be crucial to the anti-smoking campaign ahead and also the importance of having the backing of prominent partners like WHO in anti-tobacco initiatives.