UAE | Health

Wall of smoke 'hits shoppers' in Dubai

Malls should have smoking rooms to prevent shoppers having to walk through smoke, a Dubai Municipality official has said.

  • By Alice Johnson, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 23:25 August 4, 2008
  • Gulf News

Dubai: Malls should have smoking rooms to prevent shoppers having to walk through smoke, a Dubai Municipality official has said.

Ahmad Al Shammari, Acting Director of the Municipality's Public Health Department, said: "All shopping centres should have a special room or place for smoking - BurJuman has a room on the third floor. Because of the new regulations, you see most people smoking in front of the gate, in front of the shopping centres. When you enter the centre or mall, you smell very bad - you can smell this smell." Smoking in shopping malls was banned on September 15 last year, and carries a Dh1,000 fine.

Security guards will ask individuals to extinguish cigarettes if they are caught smoking in malls, and have been instructed to call the police if smokers refuse to comply, once reminded.

Al Shammari added there are no plans to increase the price of cigarettes.

"If you don't think about your health, it doesn't matter how much you are going to spend."

He clarified that import duty on tobacco is likely to increase, in line with Government regulations.

  • Rate this article
  • Average reader rating (0 votes) 0 Stars

Related Articles

Readers' pictures
Your pictures

Readers' pictures

A Selection of the best Gulf News reader pictures this week

Community Reports

More from Community Reports