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Quitting smoking or vaping in Qatar: free clinics and support
Qatar has free quit-smoking clinics at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and at most PHCC health centres. Here is what they offer, who can use them and how to book.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- Cost
- Free at HMC's Tobacco Control Center; PHCC clinics are part of your health centre care
- Book PHCC
- Call Hayyak 107 or ask your health centre doctor
- Book HMC
- Call or WhatsApp 5080 0959, or call 4025 4981
- Who can go
- Citizens and residents with a valid health card
Qatar runs free, specialist help for people who want to stop smoking cigarettes, shisha, vapes or other tobacco. There are two main options: the HMC Tobacco Control Center (a WHO Collaborating Centre with clinics at several hospitals) and smoking cessation clinics inside most PHCC health centres. Both use trained doctors and counsellors, check your health with simple breath and lung tests, and can offer nicotine replacement or prescription medicines when a doctor thinks they suit you. The usual order is: decide to quit, pick the clinic that is easiest for you, book by phone or through your health centre, go to your first assessment, then keep the follow-up visits. This guide explains each step; it does not give medical or dosing advice, which your clinic doctor will decide.
Before you start
- Your QID and a valid health card (needed to register and book at PHCC and HMC)
- The name of your PHCC health centre (it is printed on your health card record; ask at reception if unsure)
- A rough count of how much you use: cigarettes, shisha sessions, vape pods or midwakh per day, and for how many years
- Past quit attempts and what happened (what helped, what made you go back)
- A list of your current medicines and health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, pregnancy or mental health treatment
- A quit date you are willing to aim for, ideally within the next few weeks
- A friend or family member who knows you are quitting and can support you
- Time for several visits: quitting is usually a series of appointments, not one
Step by step
Decide what you want to quit
The clinics help with all tobacco and nicotine products: cigarettes, shisha, e-cigarettes and vapes, heated tobacco, midwakh (dokha) and nicotine pouches. You do not need to have tried on your own first, and you do not need a doctor's letter to ask for help. Many people switch from cigarettes to vaping and find they are still dependent; the clinics treat that too. Being honest about everything you use helps the doctor plan the right support.
Check your health card is valid
Both HMC and PHCC services are for people registered in Qatar's public health system, so you need a valid health card linked to your QID. If your card has expired, renew it first, which you can usually do online. New residents should register with their nearest PHCC health centre. Our health card guide explains how.
Read guide: Get your health card (now linked to your QID) →Choose PHCC or HMC
PHCC smoking cessation clinics are inside most health centres: in February 2026 PHCC reported 22 clinics in 19 health centres, with more opening in 2026, and they run in morning and evening sessions. This is often the most convenient choice because it is close to home and your family doctor is there. The HMC Tobacco Control Center is the specialist centre, based in Building 311 at Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City, with clinics that have also run at Al Wakra, Al Khor and Hazm Mebaireek hospitals. Choose HMC if you have tried before and relapsed, are a very heavy smoker, or have serious heart or lung conditions; your PHCC doctor can also refer you there.
Book a PHCC appointment
Call PHCC's Hayyak line on 107 and ask for an appointment at the smoking cessation clinic in your health centre, or ask any family doctor at your health centre to refer you. PHCC says you can self-refer, so a doctor's referral is not required. If your own centre has no clinic, the call centre will offer the nearest one. Note the date and time; you can usually see the booking in the PHCC Nar'aakom app.
Or book with HMC
For the HMC Tobacco Control Center, call or send a WhatsApp message to 5080 0959, or call 4025 4981. You can also call HMC's Nesma'ak customer line on 16060, or ask an HMC or PHCC doctor to refer you. Clinic days at the hospital branches have been limited (for example one day a week when they opened), so ask which branch has the earliest slot. Keep your QID and health card number ready when you call.
Read guide: Seeing a specialist at Hamad: referrals, booking and changing HMC appointments →Go to your first assessment
The first visit is the longest. A trained doctor or nurse asks about your smoking history, health and medicines, and measures the carbon monoxide in your breath with a small blow-in device. HMC also uses a spirometer, a breathing test that shows your lung capacity and 'lung age'. Many people find seeing these numbers a strong push to quit. Arrive a little early to check in at reception.
Agree a quit plan
Together you set a quit date and a plan that fits how you smoke. Plans usually combine one-to-one behavioural counselling (how to handle triggers like coffee, driving or friends who smoke) with treatment if suitable. Options can include nicotine replacement such as patches, gum or lozenges, or a non-nicotine prescription medicine. HMC also offers laser therapy as an extra option. The doctor decides what is safe for you; do not start prescription medicines without them.
Collect any medicines
If the doctor prescribes something, it is issued through the clinic's pharmacy in the usual way for your health centre or hospital. Ask at the clinic whether there is any charge for the items prescribed to you, as this can depend on the product and your coverage. Use them exactly as the doctor and pharmacist explain, and ask before combining them with other medicines. Our medicines guide explains how PHCC and HMC pharmacies work.
Read guide: Getting medicines in Qatar: prescriptions, 24-hour pharmacies and home delivery →Keep your follow-up visits
Follow-up appointments are where most of the work happens. The team checks your carbon monoxide level again, adjusts treatment, and helps with withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, poor sleep and cravings. A PHCC study of its clinic patients found 63.5% had quit, but relapse rose over the following years, which is why regular follow-up matters. If you miss one, call to rebook rather than giving up.
Plan for slips and Ramadan
A slip is common and does not mean failure; tell your clinic and restart your plan. Ramadan is a good time to quit, because you already go most of the day without smoking. PHCC advises delaying the first cigarette after iftar, changing your evening routine (for example avoiding shisha cafes), walking for 10 to 15 minutes after a light meal, and waiting out cravings for about ten minutes. Clinics run extra awareness campaigns in Ramadan and around World No Tobacco Day on 31 May.
Read guide: Ramadan in Qatar: what changes for residents →Know the smoking rules too
Qatar's tobacco law bans smoking in many public places, and e-cigarettes and vaping products are banned. These rules are covered in our laws and etiquette guide. Quitting also protects your family: second-hand smoke is especially harmful to children and pregnant women. If you see smoking in a no-smoking place, you can report it to the Ministry of Public Health.
Read guide: Laws and etiquette every Qatar resident should know →
What it costs
| Consultations, counselling and tests at the HMC Tobacco Control Center | Free (as reported in May 2026) |
| Breath (carbon monoxide) and lung function tests at HMC clinics | Free |
Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.
Common mistakes
- Waiting until you are ready to quit on willpower alone; clinic support with counselling and treatment gives you a much better chance
- Switching to vaping and calling it quitting; you are still dependent on nicotine, and vapes are banned in Qatar
- Buying quit medicines or 'quit vapes' online or abroad without a doctor's advice
- Stopping treatment early because the first week went well; the risk of going back is highest in the following months
- Skipping follow-up visits after a slip out of embarrassment; the team expects slips and can adjust your plan
- Letting your health card expire, which can block bookings and prescriptions
- Not telling the doctor about other medicines, pregnancy or mental health treatment
Questions people ask
Is the quit-smoking clinic really free for expats?
Yes, HMC describes its Tobacco Control Center treatment as free and open to citizens and residents, and PHCC clinics are part of normal health centre care for people with a valid health card. Ask at the clinic whether any prescribed items carry a charge for you, as this can depend on the product and your coverage.
Do I need a referral from a doctor?
No. You can self-refer by calling PHCC on 107 or HMC on 5080 0959 or 4025 4981. A referral from your family doctor at a health centre or an HMC doctor also works and can be quicker if you are already being seen.
Can the clinic help me quit vaping or shisha, not cigarettes?
Yes. PHCC says its clinics cover traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, shisha and other tobacco products, and HMC also campaigns on vapes and nicotine pouches. Tell the doctor exactly what you use and how often.
Which health centres have a smoking cessation clinic?
PHCC reported 22 clinics in 19 health centres in February 2026, with four more planned for the first half of 2026, but it does not publish a fixed list in the news. Call 107 and ask for the nearest one to you.
Do they give nicotine patches or tablets?
Clinics can offer nicotine replacement such as patches, gum or lozenges, or a non-nicotine prescription medicine, when the doctor decides it suits you. The doctor sets the treatment and how to use it, so do not start prescription medicines on your own.
Does the laser treatment work?
HMC offers laser therapy at its Tobacco Control Center as an extra, complementary option alongside counselling and medicines. It is not a stand-alone cure; ask the clinic whether it suits you.
Will my employer or sponsor find out I went to the clinic?
Your visit is part of your medical record, which is confidential like any other clinic visit. You do not need your employer's permission to book, though you may need to arrange time off for appointments.
I'm pregnant or my partner is. Can we get help?
Yes, and it is a good reason to start now. Tell the clinic you are pregnant or breastfeeding, because some treatments are not suitable then; the doctor will choose a safe plan. Your partner can book their own appointment too.
Official sources
- HMC Tobacco Control Center ↗
- Gulf Times: Qatar marks World No Tobacco Day (May 2026) ↗
- QNA: PHCC smoking cessation services (May 2026) ↗
- The Peninsula: PHCC Ramadan quit advice (Feb 2026) ↗
- Gulf Times: PHCC clinics' success rate study ↗
- Marhaba: Quit the habit with Qatar's cessation clinics ↗
Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.