In a move reflecting the success of national strategies to improve quality of life and public health, Badail, a Public Investment Fund company specializing in the development and manufacture of tobacco-free nicotine alternatives, announced an unprecedented achievement: the number of people who quit smoking traditional cigarettes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will reach 700,000 by the end of 2025.
A radical shift in smokers' behavior
This announcement marks a significant milestone in the Kingdom's anti-smoking campaign. The achievement extends beyond simply shifting from traditional smoking to less harmful alternatives; data reveals the profound impact of this positive transformation. Nearly 200,000 individuals have successfully quit using nicotine in all its forms, including Desert nicotine packets. This highlights the effectiveness of these products as supportive transition tools, not merely permanent replacements, representing a sustainable behavioral change that promotes community health.
Supporting the Kingdom's Vision 2030 and Quality of Life
This progress aligns directly with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, specifically the Quality of Life Program, which aims to reduce smoking rates and promote healthy lifestyles. The "Badail" company plays a pivotal role in this context as a national investment arm dedicated to mitigating the health and economic harms of smoking. These figures are a strong indicator of the success of local initiatives in providing informed and responsible alternatives for adult smokers, thus reducing the burden on the healthcare sector in the future.
Accelerating pace of takeoff and growth
Data shows a rapid increase in health awareness within Saudi society. In January 2025, the company announced that the number of people who had quit smoking had reached 400,000. By the end of that year, the number had jumped to 700,000, reflecting a significant increase in demand for DZRT as an effective solution for quitting. This product, manufactured locally to international standards, is specifically designed to help smokers stay away from combustible tobacco, offering a smoke- and ash-free experience.
Commitment to social responsibility
Commenting on this achievement, Tolga Sezer, CEO of Alternatives, explained that the core mission of the company is not commercial promotion but rather enabling real change in people's lives. He noted that the success of 200,000 people in achieving full recovery from nicotine addiction is the strongest evidence of the company's strategy in supporting long-term results.
Based on this positive momentum, “Alternatives” renewed its future ambition of helping one million people quit smoking in the Kingdom by 2028, amid strong indications that this national goal can be achieved ahead of schedule, thus consolidating the Kingdom’s position as a leading model in combating smoking in the region.
