Saudi Arabia is to sue international tobacco companies for the sum of over US$ 2 billion in damages.

The lawsuit is to go on trial on 11 September in Riyadh, the health ministry announced at the weekend. The state is to demand a single payment of Riyal 10 billion (circa US$ 2 billion). It also claims an annual sum of US$ 99 million in compensation for the costs resulting from smoking-induced diseases. The ministry did not specify the companies it will sue. Several tobacco companies, such as Philip Morris, British American Tobacco and Altadis have operations in Saudi Arabia.