UAE | Health

Smoking may be banned on beaches in UAE

The government was also considering putting a stop to tobacco being grown.

By Mahmood Saberi, Senior Reporter
Published: 00:00 May 25, 2010

Image Credit: Karen Dias, Gulf News
Officials are looking at the possibility of extending the ban on smoking to more public places, such as beaches

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Dubai: In another step towards making the UAE a tobacco smoke-free nation, officials are looking at banning smoking in public places such as beaches, a health ministry official said.

The government was also considering putting a stop to tobacco being grown.

Tobacco farmers would be given time to change their crop and the government would look at compensating them, said Ministry of Health head of the tobacco control committee Dr Wedad Al Maidour.

"There are a few tobacco farmers in Al Ain and Hatta," she told Gulf News.

She was speaking after a series of workshops with ministry officials and the World Health Organisation (WHO), which has been looking at the anti-tobacco draft laws.

"We are looking at between three to five years to make them stop production," she said about UAE tobacco growers.

She said more women were also smoking shisha today which was having an effect on their children's health.

WHO tobacco-free initiative director Douglas Bettcher agreed.

"Women are being targeted by cigarette manufacturers, making smoking look glamorous and attractive," Dr Bettcher warned.

He said one billion of the world's people would die due to smoking in this century alone.

"This is completely unacceptable. The future generation will never forgive us," he said.

Earlier, Minister of Health Dr Hanif Hassan said the UAE was working hard to give the anti-tobacco draft laws some teeth and to meet the national objectives towards improving the nation's health.

A number of officials from the health care sector, the anti-tobacco national committee members and representatives from a number of government departments were attending the two-day workshop.

Draft law

The officials were reportedly examining parts of the draft law such as how tobacco products would be packaged and labelled, their nicotine content, and images and health warnings on packs.

The UAE was also considering doubling the price of cigarettes (presently it is Dh7 per pack).

"Tobacco consumption in the Gulf region has become an economic, social and health burden," the Minister said.

Eastern Mediterranean region director of health protection Haifa Ma'adi agreed the region was dedicated to stamping out smoking.

"There is high political commitment in the UAE to tackle the scourge of smoking," said.

She said smoking posed a huge health risk, particularly as more UAE teenagers aged 13 to 15 were becoming smokers.

WHO is calling for a total ban on tobacco advertising and support programmes to help smokers give up.

"We would like to see the UAE take the lead," she said.

The health organisation was also asking countries to clamp down on smoking in public places to protect people from second-hand smoke, which contains a total of 50 cancer-producing chemicals.

Alarming: Women are targets

One billion people will die of smoking in the 21st century.Women are being targeted by cigarette manufacturers to project glamour.80 per cent of deaths due to smoking are in the developing world.

Are you a smoker? Do you think the UAE should ban smoking outside? Would you quit smoking if such a ban was placed?

Comments (28)

Added 18:43 May 25, 2010

Smokers say they have the right to smoke. That is fine but can they contain the smoke of their cigarettes that non-smokers cannot inhale them? We also have the right not to inhale second hand smoke. It is annoying to see cigarette ends littering almost everywhere. Smokers throw them as they consume a stick anywhere they are. They either just flick them anywhere or extinguish them on the floor and leave them. Aside from polluting air, they also pollute the land with a hard to degrade filters. I agree if authorities will ban smoking on all public places including beaches, restaurants, Malls, Social Clubs and discos. Abu Dhabi Mall has a huge signage in its entrance door saying "Smoke Free Environment". Just a few meters at the entrance is a famous coffee shop where smoking is allowed. Better remove the signage if it aint true!

Reg Cucal, ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates

Added 17:48 May 25, 2010

I support this ban as I visit the public beach at JBR every weekend and there are cigarette ends as far as the eye can see. People are dirty and should take their rubbish home with them, as they spoil a beautiful beach for the rest of us.

Joye Godfrey, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Added 16:27 May 25, 2010

I think banning tobacco on the beaches alone is not going to bring a free tobacco environment. It needs more of personal initiative, I believe. While imposing restrictions to smoking or similar issues, there should be proper follow-ups to ensure its effectiveness. It is also equally important to review the policy in place to import tobacco related products so that its usage can be better controlled. Since more and more countries are planning to impose restrictions to smoke all over the world, why can't we reduce its production, at the same time increase its costs in retail selling to manage the production costs.

Ramachandran Nair, Ruwi, Oman

Added 16:03 May 25, 2010

Stop the violators step by step by implementing huge fines makes them aware and makes the price so high for all types of cigarette which leads to fewer users.

Anonymous, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Added 15:32 May 25, 2010

For the smokers, Smoking is the great way of releasing stress and serve as for fun, passtime but it turns to habit that makes them difficult to quit and they don't care the output risks. The more smoke they blew the more cells affected and closed. Banned is one good way of minimizing the smokers in prohibited area. Strict monitoring of violators could help less in danger of health.Cooperation of everyone's patrolling is the main factor for immediate good effect of banning. Banned will be ineffective if no or less cooperation.

Anonymous, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Added 15:13 May 25, 2010

Iam pregnant and i really find it very difficult when someone smokes in front of me. Eventhough it is banned in the malls but still people smoke outside...where they wait for taxis and the exit.... People those who smoke must understand that they not only put thier lifes into threat but also others..... which they have no rights to do it....

Anonymous, Abu Dhabi, Afghanistan

Added 14:20 May 25, 2010

i agree that smoking should be banned completely by stopping production, sales, import and trading of all kinds of tobacco products and be strict about it. that should be the way to go for a tobacco smoke-free UAE.

Anonymous, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Added 13:00 May 25, 2010

When we know Smoking and drinking is bad for health, why can't governments world over put a complete ban on them??? Its surprising that at one end Governments are making money out of imports, exports, manufacturing and sales of Cigarettes and Alcohol; while at they other end they tend to be moral police and try to educate the population of the ill side of consuming these items. I am left wondering: are governments really interested about public safety???

Latif, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Added 12:32 May 25, 2010

I feel that both Men and women are responsible.we just cant blame that onl majority of women are heavy smokers. Teenagers are the worst. the authoritys can set up awareness but it is we who need to take a decision to stop smoking. i was going through some comments and i came across some negative inputs shared and we still do not want to say good by to smoking. what a shame? i am glad that the authoritys are implementing a rule to ban smoking on beaches. If i see a smoker standing and smoking where he is not supposed to smoke i will tell him to stop smoking as non smokers should not get affected. If you smoke, you owe it to yourself to find out about the effects of smoking on your life now.

Mathew Litty, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Added 12:28 May 25, 2010

i am not a smoker but i still believe we should respect others will... i can ban smoking in closed areas... but i can not deny someone on the beach or the road to smoke as long as he is not doing a crime

Tarek, Dubai, United Arab Emirates