Smoking and smoking cessation among smokers in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study.

Introduction: This study assessed the general perceptions of smokers in Saudi Arabia about the harms of smoking and identified the different methods used by them to quit smoking.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was designed using an online self-administered questionnaire to assess the smoker's perceptions on smoking and ways to quit smoking. A convenience sample of 1358 participants aged ≥18 years were enrolled from December 2022 to February 2023. Data analysis was carried out using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software with p<0.05 indicating statistical significance.

Results: A total of 1358 participants completed the online survey. Most of the respondents were smokers (63.3%; n=860). Forty-six percent of the participants (n=396) started smoking when they were aged <18 years. Around 71% of the participants did not like the presence of any family member who smokes. More than half (52%) of the participants admitted that friends are the main reason for beginning smoking. Around 40% (n=229) of the 860 participants were enrolled in a smoking cessation program at some point.

Conclusions: Around 46% of the study participants started smoking when they were aged <18 years. About two-thirds of them tried to quit smoking. Although many centers around the country are dedicated to helping smokers quit smoking, many smokers noted that their outreach should be further enhanced.