More than 10,000 pledge to stop smoking in the UAE

Dubai: More than 10,000 people pledged to stop smoking in the UAE on World No Tobacco Day, which was on Sunday, May 31, and pledges are still coming in though the day has passed, a senior doctor said.

"It has been a successful initiative by all standards," said Dr Wedad Al Maidoor, Head of the National Tobacco Control Committee, Ministry of Health, in a statement.

Besides launching the campaign in labour accommodation, shopping malls, and schools; it also went online on Facebook and Twitter, said Dr Prem Jagyasi, managing director of ExHealth, and one of the coordinators of the programme.

He said the response has been fantastic though it is being held for the first time in the UAE and there are 450 Facebook members promoting the anti-smoking campaign.

"Each day, 3,000 kids worldwide become regular smokers and one-third eventually die from tobacco-related diseases. Worldwide almost 90 per cent of adult smokers began at or before age 18," Dr Jagyasi said. "Considering the terrifying facts, we rolled out No Tobacco skit by school boys and girls, which caught immediate attention of young population."

"One of the steps to mitigate the growth of this dreaded habit is education and encouraging consumers to quit," said T.B. (Mac) McClelland Jr., the director of strategic development in Green Crescent Health insurance.

Testimonials:

"I did not buy any cigarettes the previous night and kept along with my friends who did not smoke (On the No Smoking Day)."
– Gul

"It is a great step we all have taken and I hope the people who have stopped will never try to do it (smoke) again."
- Aziz

"No cigarette will ever touch my lips again during my remaining life."
– Girish