Laws and determination will stop young smokers in UAE

Dubai/Fujairah: Going cold turkey, nicotine patches and taking up a new hobby are only some of the ways a person can quit smoking.

But is it best to leave the decision to curb smoking up to the smoker, or should it be in the hands of the government?

In a recent Gulf News poll, 91 per cent said there should be a ban against the sale of cigarettes to anybody below the age of 20 in the UAE, while the remaining 9 per cent opposed the idea of a ban.

City Talk took to the streets and asked residents which option they think is the most effective way to curb smoking: increasing the price of cigarettes or raising the age limit. Or is there another solution that could be more effective?

Mohammad Al Mulla, a UAE national songwriter, 35, said: "Even if the government raised the price of cigarettes to Dh100, it will not make a difference to smokers.

"I think that it does not matter what you do because smokers will continue to smoke, regardless of what rules may be imposed on them. It is up to the smokers to decide whether they want to cut down or not."

Anna Fatbuca, a 29-year-old sales clerk from the Philippines, said: "Both the methods should be enforced. Increasing the prices will certainly stop young people from smoking because they do not have the income to sustain the habit. Raising the age limit to 25 years will be a good idea because that way the younger age group will be targeted."

Ayoub Yousuf, assistant brand manager from Jordan, 36, said: "Raising the price will definitely be more affective, and the authorities should make more non-smoking areas, such as parking lots in shopping centres. Right now, many smokers stand next to the mall entrances, and it would help a lot if there were laws to ban that too."

Dina D., company director , Lebanon, 35, said: "An awareness programme should be held to educate those to quit the habit, and this will especially help those in the age group between 18 and 22.

"So they will understand how dangerous the habit is and then they will be mentally prepared to stop. Those who are addicted will never stop because if the price is raised, the young people will only steal from others to sustain their habit."

Sales representative Taissir Bouchkate, Tunisia, 40, said: "It all comes down to what the individual wants to do. It depends how strong their will is to give up smoking and whether they are ready to do so. It does not matter how much a packet of cigarettes cost or what is the age limit because if a person wants to smoke, they will do it.

"The authorities should provide free nicotine patches to the public if they want them to stop. But the smoking ban in malls is very good because people are smoking less because it is too hot to smoke outside."

Hazim Ahmad Tawfieq, an Egyptian accountant, 30, said: "Increasing prices of cigarettes and raising the age limit are good steps but I'm sure people will find ways of getting round it. What is important is more awareness programmes especially targeted at young people to inform them of the health risks and help them reject peer pressure.

"Older smokers also need to be educated about the health risks, because although many know it is bad for them, many people do not actually know the risks in graphic detail and that could make the difference."

Cristina Santos, a Filipina sales representative, 26, said: "Raising the age limit will help curb smoking, in addition to making themselves busy. It is important to have some form of awareness programme and to teach a smoker how to keep their minds preoccupied about other things, such as taking up a new hobby, so that they can find it easier to resist the urge to smoke."

Ahmad Adel, an executive assistant from Egypt, 23, said: "Raising the age limit and hiking prices would make it difficult for smokers but they are nothing more than short-term measures with little effect in the long run. What is needed is a stronger crackdown on the cigarette companies by introducing more stringent laws governing their industry.

"For example, the government can raise customs charges on the products, limit expansions and ban all marketing activities, especially those targeting young people. Also, providing more help to smokers who want to quit is important."