Qatar’s initiatives to contain and control the use of tobacco products in the country are well on course as it marked the World No Tobacco Day 2026 yesterday.
Globally, Qatar is ranked among the group of countries with the least smoking and the use of other tobacco products while the country is a champion in anti-smoking programmes among the GCC and Middle East countries, according to the latest World Health Organisation data.
Qatar was the first country among GCC and within the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region to ratify the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Qatar Tobacco Control Centre under Hamad Medical Corp has been designated as a WHO Collaborating Centre — a first in Qatar. WHO collaborating centres are institutions, such as research institutes, that are part of universities or academies, designated by the WHO director-general to carry out activities in support of WHO’s programmes.
Qatar Tobacco Control Centre carries out several programmes such as curative treatment, preventive community awareness, scientific research, and clinical training. The centre offers free, specialised treatments to help citizens and residents permanently quit smoking and the use of other tobacco products.
The treatment is provided through one-on-one sessions with cessation specialists, psychologists, and health educators. It also offers nicotine replacement therapies and prescription medications, as well as laser therapy and medical devices like carbon monoxide monitors and spirometers to test lung capacity.
In addition, the centre also conducts public health campaigns to educate the community on the dangers of tobacco and emerging nicotine products like e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches. It organises workshops and lectures for school and university students, public institutions, and ministries.
The WHO Collaborating Centre is also a hub for tobacco-related studies, with regular population surveys on smoking attitudes and evaluates cessation methods. The centre has so far published over 50 academic research papers in peer-reviewed medical journals. It leads educational events for healthcare staff across Qatar and the region and trains clinicians on integrating evidence-based screening and behavioural support.
Similarly, the Primary Health Care Corp (PHCC) has lined up a number of programmes and initiatives to discourage tobacco use among the population. PHCC has set up a 'Smoking Cessation Clinic' at most of its health centres, providing various services.
The Smoking Cessation Clinics are operated by physicians trained and certified in tobacco dependence treatment and provide effective counselling and describe medications to help individuals successfully quit using tobacco products. Patients undergo comprehensive assessments followed by tailored treatment plans. These include behavioural counselling, healthy lifestyle coaching, and FDA-approved pharmacotherapy.
In addition, PHCC regularly organises outreach programmes, such as field awareness programmes and incentive campaigns at its health centres to educate visitors on the dangers of all forms of tobacco. It also organises public campaigns through educational lectures and initiatives at schools, universities, and public institutions to discourage youth from initiating tobacco use.
PHCC helps smokers and individuals who are tobacco dependent to make use of its services through a physician referral or by booking an appointment. With the combined efforts and support from the authorities, Qatar is taking the fight against tobacco use, which has resulted in positive outcomes in recent years.