UAE | Health

Increasing tobacco prices to discourage teen consumption

Tobacco prices in the UAE are set to double every two years under a new proposal by the Ministry of Health, as part of the effort to cut smoking rates.

  • By Nina Muslim, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 01:06 May 29, 2008
  • Gulf News

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Dubai: Tobacco prices in the UAE are set to double every two years under a new proposal by the Ministry of Health, as part of the effort to cut smoking rates.

The UAE is a signatory to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC), which aims to curb tobacco access and advertising, increasing prevention and protecting non-smokers, and helping people quit using tobacco products.

Dr Wedad Al Maidour, head of the UAE Tobacco Control Committee, told Gulf News she was submitting a proposal to the Ministry of Economy to double current prices.

“There is a plan to keep increasing tobacco prices. Maybe we will double every two years,'' she said.

She said doubling prices would reduce tobacco consumption, especially among teenagers. Cigarette prices in the UAE range from Dh4 to Dh7.

“A teenager's daily expense is Dh20. If cigarettes cost Dh16, then they won't have money for [other things]. In doubling the prices, they will think twice about buying cigarettes,'' she added.

Continuously increasing the prices will also ensure smokers find it hard to adjust their budget to support their habit. In the meantime, the ministry plans to do a study on smoking rates each time the price increases to monitor its success.

The tobacco price increase, if implemented, would be a domestic regulation, separate from the 100 per cent GCC import tax for tobacco products.

The extra money will be funnelled to the government, which would use part or all of it to conduct health campaigns and assist smoking cessation programmes.

Dr Wedad said the government might stop increasing prices once they established a reduction in smoking rates.

Dr Gerard Dubois, temporary adviser to the WHO and European Union on smoking cessation and honorary chair of the French Alliance Against Tobacco, supported the move.

However, he said the government should not stop increasing the prices of tobacco products, adding studies in France and other countries have shown a reduction in tobacco use when governments increase tobacco prices.

Do you know anyone who has quit or tried to quit smoking? Will the new measure help encourage people to stop? Tell us at lettter2editor@gulfnews.com or fill in the form below to send your comments.


Your comments


As an an Emirati citizen, I don't think increasing price is a good idea as the inflation is going up, please give me a break. At least leave people alone with this from price hikes.
Abdul
Abu Dhabi,U.A.E
Posted: May 29, 2008, 13:52

I think its a great idea, I dont know why every one here is saying that this step wont reduce smoking! suppose a pack of cigarette is 7 Dirhams, now it will be 14 Dirhams and after another 2 years it will be 28 dirhams. another 2 years it will be 56 dirhams. If this doesnt reduce smoking nothing will.
Tareq
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: May 29, 2008, 13:36

It is good. tobacco kills more obviously than alcohol as an answer to the earlier comment. Not to mention the suffering of the patient whether it is the smoker or other people affected by smokers. Do everything possible to discourage smoking, my mother died because of that.
Nanik
Al Ain,UAE
Posted: May 29, 2008, 12:53

I do not think the price hike will discourage teenagers from buying it, instead this will promote group smoking and increase the popularity of the cigarette smoking among teenagers - being a high priced product.
Surej
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 29, 2008, 12:51

Yes, i strongly believe that by increasing the price of cigarettes, the consumption level of smoking will reduce drastically. This seems a good move.
sajju
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 29, 2008, 12:34

Insurance companies should raise a higher tariff for the smokers or if not "exclude" insurance coverage over lung problems or respiratory complications which is caused by smoking or shisha.
Suta
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 29, 2008, 12:19

The article presumes a teenager will buy a pack everyday i.e. Dh16 of Dh20. Most likely they will split the cost within a group of smoking friends. Hence promoting unity among smokers, and even worse adding Dh1 to the already high cost of peer pressure to non-smokers!
Anand
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 29, 2008, 10:15

This is not fair, This is our life we respect the non-somking area. What else you want from us?
Syed
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 29, 2008, 10:10

I dont believe that increasing the price of tobacco will discourage the teens. They are not using their own earnings, it won?t be a difficulty for them to find 2 or five Dirhams more through the same channel now they are getting. The rule must be more strict on not selling tobacco to minors, and do not allow adults to buy for minors .
CECIL
texas,U S A
Posted: May 29, 2008, 09:21

This is very funny what about alcohol, increase the price for same. Most of accident happens under influence of Alcohol too. I don?t know from where they get these kinds of ideas. Stop selling Cigarettes across UAE that will be better.
K
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 29, 2008, 09:20

A very good move, should have been taken long back.
Shaikh
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 29, 2008, 08:43

Smoking is banned at public places- i appreciate.Measures like this to help increase number of non-smokers are positive. But by increasing price of Ciggrettes if some one thinks that Smokers would discontinue smoking............IMPOSSIBLE.
Masood
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 29, 2008, 08:40

That is unfair to consumers. If the UAE Government wants teenagers to quit smoking, raising the prices of tobacco products is not the solution. Parents intervention and regulation of sale to minors should be implemented.
Lee
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: May 29, 2008, 08:36

Y DONT U PEOPLE STOP BEING SO ANNOYING I AM A 22 yr old and would like to smoke witout you people interefearing so y dnt you all just increase the ages? and have police checking?
smokaholic
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 29, 2008, 08:12

1.House Rents 2.Salik Gate 3.Rising Inflation 4.Sallik Gates 5.Tobacco Doubles.What next.God please save the middle class expatriate population in the UAE.
Rahul
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 29, 2008, 08:12

I appreciate the steps taken towards regulating consumption of tobacco. But do you really think this will reduce it? I do smoke and I don?t mind paying some more for it as long as it is available.
thasimmahe
sharjah,UAE
Posted: May 29, 2008, 08:11

If cigarettes cost 16 Dhs, teenagers won't stop buying them. They will stop buying other things. Linking logic with addiction and human behavior is a brilliant thing. More people should practice it.
J708
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 29, 2008, 07:55

"A teenager's daily expense is 20dh"? 20dh is likely a teenager's hourly expense these days. When 18 year olds are getting Porsh as high school graduation presents, raising cigarette prices will do nothing to discourage teenagers from smoking... especially when daddy is footing the bill. If cigarettes become too expensive, teenagers will buy even more to show off their wealth.
Shezanne
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 29, 2008, 07:28

I am 22 year old and I smoke a Marlboro cigarette which is in the range of 6-7 Dh. If the tobacco price is doubled instead of buying the Marlboro I will be forced to buy other cheap unbranded cigarettes which have very poor quality tobacco and filter in them. Which will deter my health even more than what is happening right now?
Mohd
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: May 29, 2008, 06:56

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