One of the most effective government strategies worldwide to curb the rise of smoking in adults and teenagers is the banning of this practice in public areas. The UAE has its Federal Law 15 that prohibits smoking in public places. As a result, there has been a decline in the number of smokers in the UAE in the adult and teenage groups as revealed at a Dubai workshop to review the effects of this ban. Smoking is a health hazard and needs to be curbed, particularly among teenagers.
According to the 2010 World Health survey on UAE, 16 per cent of children between the ages of 13 and 15, 26 per cent of adult men and 1.7 per cent of adult women smoked, but the rigorous enforcement of the ban is having the desired effect. Prohibiting smoking in public places inevitably has an incremental positive effect because people spend a big chunk of their daily time outside their homes and the restriction impacts their habit. The decline in numbers is also attributable to the UAE’s awareness campaigns, anti-smoking clinics and ban on cigarette sales at key retail points. This is a welcome momentum and must be maintained at all times.
